Are you ready for Christmas?
Unlikely – there’s still a month to go – houses to clean, trees to decorate, cookies to bake, presents to buy and wrap, travel to organise, meals to coordinate. There’s a LOT that has to be done before we’re ready for Christmas! And what about the COST of Christmas? I am fully aware that we don’t like to talk about money, it’s taboo to bring it up. And the reason for that is our culture is one of greed and want, where money is simply a tool by which we strive to buy more. Think of your own Christmas to-do list – it involves money to buy the presents, the clothes, the food – our society has moved beyond abundant generosity to gluttony when it comes to Christmas spending – we have become a people of January debt, because we try to buy ourselves a happy holiday. Is that the Christmas you’re getting ready for?
Are you ready for Christ?
That’s a harder question – of course, we would all like to say that we are – completely ready and prepared, at all times. But that would not likely be entirely true. That’s part of why we have the entire season of Advent. Advent marks the new year on the Christian calendar. It sets aside time to intentionally slow down, avoid the hustle-bustle of our secular Christmas preparations, and focus inwardly to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s coming. So how do we do that? The check-list for preparing for Christ is not as easy as preparing for Christmas.
So, we pray. We take time to reflect on the word of God. We remember that this anticipation is not a new feeling – that we are journeying the same way that the Hebrew people did as they waited for the Messiah. We reflect that we too are a people waiting – waiting for the second coming of Christ, of pure light breaking through into our world.
There’s a joke bumper sticker that reads: “Jesus is coming! Look busy!” Realistically, though, I would rather looked prepared. I would want to have my spiritual house in order, to know that I had done all I could, to the best of my ability, to respond to God’s word. To prove that I was thinking ahead, and watching and waiting; not that I had been caught unprepared as though company had just unexpectedly dropped by. A little mess in the living room is not a big deal; a little mess in your heart can be problematic. And, as we’re reminded, “you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” (Mt 24:44)
We have been challenged. When we listen to the words of our Lord and Saviour, for whom we wait, we hear commands to love unconditionally, whether we like a person’s actions or not. We are to care for the whole creation, seeing in it God’s perfection and grace. We are to tread gently in relationship with our neighbours, respecting their dignity and integrity, as they do ours. We are to worship our God, above all else. And, we are to give – freely, without hesitation, without grudge.
So we return to the taboo subject of money. I want to remind you, however, that Jesus spoke about money. Often. Whether it made people uncomfortable or not. Because for Jesus, money was not simply an instrument with which to buy things. It was an instrument through which we could respond to God’s grace and love through our own generosity; not because someone else told us to, but because (through our prayers) God had invited us to take part in His great works. We, God’s chosen people, have been asked to give 10% of our income back to the ministry of His work. As a friend of mine once said, God has given us EVERYTHING, in profound abundance. And He wants us to keep 90% of it.
We as Anglicans have always had a problem with that – because of our history. We used to be a state sponsored entity, so we did not have to be concerned with the bottom line – if we didn’t cover our bills, the government would. Needless to say, those days are long gone, but the deep-rooted mentality remains. Other denominations have a different mindset. The Mennonites, for example, understood that to build their church required a minimum of 10% simply to exist, as they had to cover all costs themselves. Any funds given in excess of that tithe are called alms, and are used in other ways to the Greater Glory of God.
And so we now have an opportunity to shift our way of thinking. Not to give to God whatever is left in the bank account at the end of the month, but to intentionally choose to give to God first. Our budgets reflect where our priorities lie, so I invite you over this Advent season to reflect on what your priorities are, and decide if your personal budgets demonstrate that. If not, how will you make changes toward that? 10% is a lot of money – no one denies that. But to spread 10% out over the year is a lot easier than trying to make it up all at once. Maybe your givings can increase by 1% next year and gradually work up to tithe; maybe you can send post-dated cheques for the times you will be away to help keep your givings (and the church budget) more evenly balanced; maybe you have other ways that you give to God through the church.
However you give, whatever you give, needs to be talked about. Not with the clergy, not with the treasurer, but with God. As I mentioned before, God has invited us to be co-creators with him in His work, through the church. Please pray on how you will respond to that invitation. Have an open and honest conversation with God and with yourself about money; not just what you put into an envelope but why you do it. This will not be a quick or easy time of prayer and reflection, but I promise you that it will be worthwhile. I want for you to feel good that what you give to the church is your involvement in the building of the kingdom; not that you are obligated to write a cheque.
Our response to God’s call should be one of joy and grateful thanksgiving – and of hope. We are a people of hope, a people whose careful watching and waiting shows us the glimpses of the kingdom. We are a people filled with anticipation and expectation of the coming again of a great light. We are a people blessed with a specific season, this Advent, a time to celebrate the calmness and gentleness of intentional spiritual preparation. We are a people, blessed with abundance, getting ready for the true Christ Mass. “For the sake of the house of the LORD our God” (Ps. 122:9)
“God of the watching ones, give us your benediction. God of the waiting ones, give us your good word for our souls.” (Celtic Daily Prayer)
28 November 2010
05 July 2010
Sermon, 04 July
2 Kings 5:1-14; Psalm 66:1-9; Galatians 6:1-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Let’s imagine that we’re intending to build something. Hypothetically, let’s say it’s a garage. And we’ve decided that we are going to be the labourers. What do we need? Well, we need tools – hammers, drills, etc. And we need materials – lumber, nails, screws. Without these, we don’t have a garage. We also need a plan. A blueprint. Instructions on how to construct said garage. Otherwise, if we just start hammering wood together, we’ll end up with something that resembles a child’s craft involving popsicle sticks and glue- which is not what we’re after.
Now that we have collected what we need, we need to look at the method of HOW we will build this garage. There has to be some semblance of organisation and order – otherwise, we’ve got chaos with power tools – somewhat less than ideal! We need to do things in a particular way – first we pour the foundation, then put up the walls, then put the roof on – otherwise we’ll be pouring a foundation on top of the roof sitting on the ground. We’ll need to do some prep work, and determine what’s possible. We need to have some flat land, and good weather, and some reality -we’re not building the Taj Mahal or Buckingham Palace, we’re building a garage. We need to be focused, not chatting with the folks across the back lane, or the work will never get done. And we need to each do our own job, whatever specific task we’ve agreed to – otherwise we’re back to the popsicle sticks and glue kind of mess.
So – we have the stuff, we know the method, now we have to have a process. We need to make sure that the area we’re working on is a clean space – no big rocks in the way, no old crumbing foundation, no big tree. We need a space that’s going to be ready to support our new garage. We also need to keep our egos in check – have you noticed that some people, as soon as they strap on a tool belt, think they’re a master carpenter? A healthy dose of humility while handling a hammer is a very good thing. We need also to accept what’s offered – if the to-be owner of the to-be garage offers up lemonade to the workers, we can’t hold out for pina coladas. And we need to be working together – someone has to hold up the beam while the other hammers in a nail; someone has to pick up the screwdriver that the person at the top of the ladder dropped – for the fourth time.
If we put all of this together – the needs, the method, and the process, we will reach success. We will be able to assemble the garage that we’ve planned. And then we can celebrate it’s completion.
So what if we were building something else? We’d follow the same basic principles.
What about for building the kingdom of God?
Well, there are things that we will need. We need tools – the best tool is our sacred scriptures, which will do for us everything we need it to. We’ll need materials – and what better material could we have than our faith? Not someone else’s faith, but our own. Laura Marie can’t use Hap’s faith to try to build the kingdom, because she’s followed a very different journey. Murray can’t use Muriel’s faith, because he lives his own, and thus can only share his own experiences and journey. Our faith is as individual as we are, because we’ve all come to it from different directions. But when we truly know our faith, it is stronger than any piece of lumber we might find. And we can share that strength in the building. So now we need a plan – and the blueprint is before us today. Go out – into every town and village, and offer your peace, your faith, to prepare them for Jesus.
So now we need our method – our HOW. We need to be organised. Have you noticed that when people of faith start telling faith stories, we jump around all over the place form one topic to another? Sometimes it’s hard to follow where the conversation is going. Imagine if you were not a person of strong faith, who could not follow the conversation at all because of it’s erratic nature . You might not only be not convinced of the benefits of faith, you might be put off it altogether because of the apparent chaos you’d heard. A clear message is so important. We need to build the kingdom in a particular way – by moving beyond just the convention of the church building into the world around us, slowly preparing people to receive Jesus. We can’t force other to believe in the kingdom when they don’t understand who God is. Our prep work is also needed here – we need to know that the people we’re talking to about the kingdom want to hear the message of the Gospel, the Good News of Christ. There has to be space in their hearts to hear the message, or what we say will not be truly heard. And we all need to do what our specific task is. God has given us all very unique talents and abilities, and we’re called to use them. Whatever your gift is, its use is your task in building the kingdom of God. Trying to deny that gift is denying your contribution to the building project.
So now we move on to the process itself. The actual getting it done. The space has to be clear. We need to clear our own hearts to know for ourselves that those we speak to will hear only God’s love working through us. We hope and pray that they will hear it. And we need to know that there will be some who we will not be able to reach, no matter how hard we try, no matter how much we want to. That’s part of accepting our limitations, the reality of what is given to us. We cannot do it all. We need to remember whose kingdom we’re building, and focus on heavenly gains, not earthly rewards – it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the building of the kingdom and start bragging about how many people we’ve shared the Light of Christ with – but those things do not matter, so much as the act of have the conversations, quietly and privately. Our rewards are not of this world. And, of course, we need to work together. God’s kingdom will be built in 2s and 3s, in small gatherings and large, but not alone. We need to support one another in our ministries – in prayer, in compassion, in simply being there for one another.
This is what today’s Gospel reading is all about. Jesus sends out his followers to build. Interestingly, Jesus does not want his followers to simply move behind him and continue his works, He wants them in front of Him, preparing the way for Him. They are called to humble service of leadership.
The disciples are given exactly what they need – the tools of the scripture and the authority of Jesus, the material of faith, and the plan to share the peace of God with those they meet.
They’re given a method – they know which towns to go towards, so they don’t all end up in the same place. They know exactly how to enter into the homes, staying where they are and offering peace, leaving a town is no peace is returned to them; curing those who are ill, casting out demons. They know that they are preparing people to receive the full Christ when He reaches them. They are to follow a very specific and focused plan, always assuring that the Kingdom of God is near, and not getting distracted on the road.
And they’re given a process. They learn what areas will accept Jesus, so His work will be starting with a clear space. They are accepting whatever hospitality is given to them, in their pairs, not moving from house to house for a better meal or more comfortable bed. They are reminded to remain humble despite their successes, with the gentle reminder that their reward is that their names are written in Heaven, and that if they get too full of themselves for their earthly works, they (like Satan) may fall as they have forgotten who and whose they are.
The disciples demonstrate servant leadership in their mission field, just as the readings from Kings and Galatians echo. The King of Israel suggests that the man suffering leprosy submit to God and simply wash, which heals him – a reminder of our own cleansing through baptism and the power of God in simple acts. Paul’s letter on supporting one another in community to do God’s bidding is so important for him to write that he scribbles it out himself rather than employ a scribe. They are offering servant leadership. We are called today to be leaders within our spiritual communities, acting humbly for our God.
So we are called to the mission field, where we as the few labourers can work for the bountiful harvest. Our mission field is not in a far away land, it’s not somewhere with a different language, it’s right here. And right now. Our mission field lies just outside our doors. Our task, or project, is to meet those folks out there who need the Gospel – taking with us our tools and materials, our method, and our process. When we do this, we can celebrate our victory, our reward; we will know that our names are written in Heaven, and that our labours here promise us the nearness of the Kingdom of God, a kingdom towards which we are helping to prepare. Let’s go into the mission field, preparing the way of our Lord.
Let’s imagine that we’re intending to build something. Hypothetically, let’s say it’s a garage. And we’ve decided that we are going to be the labourers. What do we need? Well, we need tools – hammers, drills, etc. And we need materials – lumber, nails, screws. Without these, we don’t have a garage. We also need a plan. A blueprint. Instructions on how to construct said garage. Otherwise, if we just start hammering wood together, we’ll end up with something that resembles a child’s craft involving popsicle sticks and glue- which is not what we’re after.
Now that we have collected what we need, we need to look at the method of HOW we will build this garage. There has to be some semblance of organisation and order – otherwise, we’ve got chaos with power tools – somewhat less than ideal! We need to do things in a particular way – first we pour the foundation, then put up the walls, then put the roof on – otherwise we’ll be pouring a foundation on top of the roof sitting on the ground. We’ll need to do some prep work, and determine what’s possible. We need to have some flat land, and good weather, and some reality -we’re not building the Taj Mahal or Buckingham Palace, we’re building a garage. We need to be focused, not chatting with the folks across the back lane, or the work will never get done. And we need to each do our own job, whatever specific task we’ve agreed to – otherwise we’re back to the popsicle sticks and glue kind of mess.
So – we have the stuff, we know the method, now we have to have a process. We need to make sure that the area we’re working on is a clean space – no big rocks in the way, no old crumbing foundation, no big tree. We need a space that’s going to be ready to support our new garage. We also need to keep our egos in check – have you noticed that some people, as soon as they strap on a tool belt, think they’re a master carpenter? A healthy dose of humility while handling a hammer is a very good thing. We need also to accept what’s offered – if the to-be owner of the to-be garage offers up lemonade to the workers, we can’t hold out for pina coladas. And we need to be working together – someone has to hold up the beam while the other hammers in a nail; someone has to pick up the screwdriver that the person at the top of the ladder dropped – for the fourth time.
If we put all of this together – the needs, the method, and the process, we will reach success. We will be able to assemble the garage that we’ve planned. And then we can celebrate it’s completion.
So what if we were building something else? We’d follow the same basic principles.
What about for building the kingdom of God?
Well, there are things that we will need. We need tools – the best tool is our sacred scriptures, which will do for us everything we need it to. We’ll need materials – and what better material could we have than our faith? Not someone else’s faith, but our own. Laura Marie can’t use Hap’s faith to try to build the kingdom, because she’s followed a very different journey. Murray can’t use Muriel’s faith, because he lives his own, and thus can only share his own experiences and journey. Our faith is as individual as we are, because we’ve all come to it from different directions. But when we truly know our faith, it is stronger than any piece of lumber we might find. And we can share that strength in the building. So now we need a plan – and the blueprint is before us today. Go out – into every town and village, and offer your peace, your faith, to prepare them for Jesus.
So now we need our method – our HOW. We need to be organised. Have you noticed that when people of faith start telling faith stories, we jump around all over the place form one topic to another? Sometimes it’s hard to follow where the conversation is going. Imagine if you were not a person of strong faith, who could not follow the conversation at all because of it’s erratic nature . You might not only be not convinced of the benefits of faith, you might be put off it altogether because of the apparent chaos you’d heard. A clear message is so important. We need to build the kingdom in a particular way – by moving beyond just the convention of the church building into the world around us, slowly preparing people to receive Jesus. We can’t force other to believe in the kingdom when they don’t understand who God is. Our prep work is also needed here – we need to know that the people we’re talking to about the kingdom want to hear the message of the Gospel, the Good News of Christ. There has to be space in their hearts to hear the message, or what we say will not be truly heard. And we all need to do what our specific task is. God has given us all very unique talents and abilities, and we’re called to use them. Whatever your gift is, its use is your task in building the kingdom of God. Trying to deny that gift is denying your contribution to the building project.
So now we move on to the process itself. The actual getting it done. The space has to be clear. We need to clear our own hearts to know for ourselves that those we speak to will hear only God’s love working through us. We hope and pray that they will hear it. And we need to know that there will be some who we will not be able to reach, no matter how hard we try, no matter how much we want to. That’s part of accepting our limitations, the reality of what is given to us. We cannot do it all. We need to remember whose kingdom we’re building, and focus on heavenly gains, not earthly rewards – it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the building of the kingdom and start bragging about how many people we’ve shared the Light of Christ with – but those things do not matter, so much as the act of have the conversations, quietly and privately. Our rewards are not of this world. And, of course, we need to work together. God’s kingdom will be built in 2s and 3s, in small gatherings and large, but not alone. We need to support one another in our ministries – in prayer, in compassion, in simply being there for one another.
This is what today’s Gospel reading is all about. Jesus sends out his followers to build. Interestingly, Jesus does not want his followers to simply move behind him and continue his works, He wants them in front of Him, preparing the way for Him. They are called to humble service of leadership.
The disciples are given exactly what they need – the tools of the scripture and the authority of Jesus, the material of faith, and the plan to share the peace of God with those they meet.
They’re given a method – they know which towns to go towards, so they don’t all end up in the same place. They know exactly how to enter into the homes, staying where they are and offering peace, leaving a town is no peace is returned to them; curing those who are ill, casting out demons. They know that they are preparing people to receive the full Christ when He reaches them. They are to follow a very specific and focused plan, always assuring that the Kingdom of God is near, and not getting distracted on the road.
And they’re given a process. They learn what areas will accept Jesus, so His work will be starting with a clear space. They are accepting whatever hospitality is given to them, in their pairs, not moving from house to house for a better meal or more comfortable bed. They are reminded to remain humble despite their successes, with the gentle reminder that their reward is that their names are written in Heaven, and that if they get too full of themselves for their earthly works, they (like Satan) may fall as they have forgotten who and whose they are.
The disciples demonstrate servant leadership in their mission field, just as the readings from Kings and Galatians echo. The King of Israel suggests that the man suffering leprosy submit to God and simply wash, which heals him – a reminder of our own cleansing through baptism and the power of God in simple acts. Paul’s letter on supporting one another in community to do God’s bidding is so important for him to write that he scribbles it out himself rather than employ a scribe. They are offering servant leadership. We are called today to be leaders within our spiritual communities, acting humbly for our God.
So we are called to the mission field, where we as the few labourers can work for the bountiful harvest. Our mission field is not in a far away land, it’s not somewhere with a different language, it’s right here. And right now. Our mission field lies just outside our doors. Our task, or project, is to meet those folks out there who need the Gospel – taking with us our tools and materials, our method, and our process. When we do this, we can celebrate our victory, our reward; we will know that our names are written in Heaven, and that our labours here promise us the nearness of the Kingdom of God, a kingdom towards which we are helping to prepare. Let’s go into the mission field, preparing the way of our Lord.
19 June 2010
Sermon for 20 June
• 1 Kings 19:1-15a
• Psalm 42 and 43
• Galatians 3:23-29
• Luke 8:26-39
A friend of mine is very health conscious. This is a woman who plans her meals ahead of time. Not by a day or two, but by a few weeks. Her diet is very strict, very regimented, food is carefully measured out and eaten at the right times. Personally, I follow the seafood diet. If I see food I want, I eat it. Now, please don’t misunderstand – part of my friend’s carefully constructed diet includes ice cream, and she’s been known to enjoy some nachos when she’s out with the girls. But she keeps the amount of deserts and high-fat foods to a minimum. For very good reason – she’s in training. She’s a runner. She and her fiancé do races – this weekend is her third half-marathon of the season. It’s impressive – but it takes a lot of dedication, a lot of practice, a lot of planning ahead. Her body will need a certain amount of the right kinds of foods to help her get through the training and the races; and so she listens to her body and gives it the fuel that it needs.
All of us need fuel to get through our days. Some days may feel like a marathon and require more fuel than those more relaxed days. Whatever kind of day we’re having, though, will determine how much and what kind of fuel we will need. Physically, we need less shelter in the summer than in the winter, though if the rains keep up, we may just need boats. We need clothing, we need good food and clean water, and we need adequate sleep and rest. These things are essential for our basic survival. Without them, we cannot live.
Emotionally, we need fuel. This fuel comes in the form of a sense of safety and security, in laughter, in an understanding of peace, in the giving and receiving of love. Our emotional needs are met with family, with friends, with leisure time – recreational activities are appropriately named, given that they are designed to allow for us to re-create ourselves to be fully human. When we do not have our emotional fuel, we start to lose who we are; we succumb to stress, we cease to interact with others in a positive manner, we cannot cope with the world around us.
We also need spiritual fuel. We need a well of spiritual strength from which to draw upon on a daily basis. Our strength comes from God, but in what ways? We read the scriptures, we pray, we worship, we read devotionals. When we are doing whatever practices we use to connect with God, we will feel His presence near us, we will seek and serve Christ in everyone around us, we will be open to the gentle stirrings of the Spirit moving us toward justice and peace. Basically, we will live out our baptismal promises. When we don’t have our spiritual fuel, however, a void develops, one that we may not even be aware of. We feel the need to take everything on ourselves, without asking God’s help. We ignore injustices that we see around us. We judge others, labelling them by cultural stereotypes rather than as fellow children of God. We cease to be the people that God made us to be. When we have this spiritual void, we run the risk of evil creeping in.
Our readings today tell us how God meets our needs, how if we let Him, God provides the fuel for our lives.
In the reading from Kings, we hear how Jezebel threatens Elijah, and he flees from her – only to release his servant in town and go into the wilderness, where he asks God to let him die. He has asked God to do exactly that which caused him to flee from Jezebel. He is ignoring his physical and emotional needs by laying under a tree, alone. Yet hope glimmers on – when food and water appear beside him, he eats and drinks. When this happens again, he eats and drinks with the knowledge that his journey is not over, but rather it is just starting. He brings an honest assessment of his situation to the Lord, and the Lord provides him with spiritual strength to continue this journey – God sends winds and earthquakes and fire, and Elijah stands firm in his faith and speaks to God. He then continues in the path that God has set for him, and we later learn of all the good things that Elijah does, because he has sufficient fuel to meet adversity.
The Psalm celebrates the longing of the heart to be closer to God.
The reading from the letter of Paul to the Galatians reminds us of the benefits of faith – that every person who has received the sacrament of baptism is the same in the eyes of God – no matter what skin colour, hair colour, nationality, profession, orientation, gender, none of it matters when we are people of faith – our spiritual need of divine love is met when we become clothed in Christ. God provides the gift of perfect grace and acceptance
The Gospel, of course, tells us of a profound spiritual healing. We hear that THEY arrived at the shore, but only Jesus got out of the boat – the possessed man perhaps intimidated the rest of the disciples who chose to stay in the boat. The naked man at Jesus’ feet begs for help, and the God of Love acknowledges him immediately. Notice, however, that the demons within the man were not cast out by Jesus, but asked his permission to enter the pigs rather than be cast into the abyss. God’s compassion is so strong that he allows this to happen, and yet the pigs drown themselves, thereby presumably sending the demons to the abyss all the same. And then we see the man again – this time calm, clothed, still at the feet of our Lord. His physical needs have been met in his clothing. His emotional needs will be able to be met now that he is again in his right mind, and can enter into relation with those around him. Spiritually, he is challenged to meet his own needs, by sharing the good news of God in Christ with those he meets, rather than staying beside the person of Jesus; this will also prevent him from creating that void again into which the demons might enter. The rest of the people from the area become so afraid by what they have seen that they ask Jesus to leave – which he does. They are not prepared to look within themselves, and determine what their needs are and if they are being met. Their fuel tanks are empty, and they don’t want Jesus to see that.
So how are your fuel tanks? Are your needs being met? Or do you need a top-up? Physically, do you have enough to eat? Is there a roof over your head and clothing on your body? Emotionally, have you smiled this week? Had a conversation with a loved one? Celebrated some ‘down time’ with a good book or a soccer game? Spiritually, have you talked with God, thanked Him for the abundant blessings he continually bestows upon you? Made an effort to journey closer with Him in all you do? Have you recognised that God provides all the fuel we will ever need?
In order to live fully, we need a mixture of all of these fuels – we never know when we might need to call upon strength from within ourselves. When adversity strikes, if our tank is low, we may not have the fuel to get through the tough times. So our challenge is to make sure that we fill all of our fuel tanks every day. And then we too can go proclaiming throughout the town how much Jesus has done for us.
• Psalm 42 and 43
• Galatians 3:23-29
• Luke 8:26-39
A friend of mine is very health conscious. This is a woman who plans her meals ahead of time. Not by a day or two, but by a few weeks. Her diet is very strict, very regimented, food is carefully measured out and eaten at the right times. Personally, I follow the seafood diet. If I see food I want, I eat it. Now, please don’t misunderstand – part of my friend’s carefully constructed diet includes ice cream, and she’s been known to enjoy some nachos when she’s out with the girls. But she keeps the amount of deserts and high-fat foods to a minimum. For very good reason – she’s in training. She’s a runner. She and her fiancé do races – this weekend is her third half-marathon of the season. It’s impressive – but it takes a lot of dedication, a lot of practice, a lot of planning ahead. Her body will need a certain amount of the right kinds of foods to help her get through the training and the races; and so she listens to her body and gives it the fuel that it needs.
All of us need fuel to get through our days. Some days may feel like a marathon and require more fuel than those more relaxed days. Whatever kind of day we’re having, though, will determine how much and what kind of fuel we will need. Physically, we need less shelter in the summer than in the winter, though if the rains keep up, we may just need boats. We need clothing, we need good food and clean water, and we need adequate sleep and rest. These things are essential for our basic survival. Without them, we cannot live.
Emotionally, we need fuel. This fuel comes in the form of a sense of safety and security, in laughter, in an understanding of peace, in the giving and receiving of love. Our emotional needs are met with family, with friends, with leisure time – recreational activities are appropriately named, given that they are designed to allow for us to re-create ourselves to be fully human. When we do not have our emotional fuel, we start to lose who we are; we succumb to stress, we cease to interact with others in a positive manner, we cannot cope with the world around us.
We also need spiritual fuel. We need a well of spiritual strength from which to draw upon on a daily basis. Our strength comes from God, but in what ways? We read the scriptures, we pray, we worship, we read devotionals. When we are doing whatever practices we use to connect with God, we will feel His presence near us, we will seek and serve Christ in everyone around us, we will be open to the gentle stirrings of the Spirit moving us toward justice and peace. Basically, we will live out our baptismal promises. When we don’t have our spiritual fuel, however, a void develops, one that we may not even be aware of. We feel the need to take everything on ourselves, without asking God’s help. We ignore injustices that we see around us. We judge others, labelling them by cultural stereotypes rather than as fellow children of God. We cease to be the people that God made us to be. When we have this spiritual void, we run the risk of evil creeping in.
Our readings today tell us how God meets our needs, how if we let Him, God provides the fuel for our lives.
In the reading from Kings, we hear how Jezebel threatens Elijah, and he flees from her – only to release his servant in town and go into the wilderness, where he asks God to let him die. He has asked God to do exactly that which caused him to flee from Jezebel. He is ignoring his physical and emotional needs by laying under a tree, alone. Yet hope glimmers on – when food and water appear beside him, he eats and drinks. When this happens again, he eats and drinks with the knowledge that his journey is not over, but rather it is just starting. He brings an honest assessment of his situation to the Lord, and the Lord provides him with spiritual strength to continue this journey – God sends winds and earthquakes and fire, and Elijah stands firm in his faith and speaks to God. He then continues in the path that God has set for him, and we later learn of all the good things that Elijah does, because he has sufficient fuel to meet adversity.
The Psalm celebrates the longing of the heart to be closer to God.
The reading from the letter of Paul to the Galatians reminds us of the benefits of faith – that every person who has received the sacrament of baptism is the same in the eyes of God – no matter what skin colour, hair colour, nationality, profession, orientation, gender, none of it matters when we are people of faith – our spiritual need of divine love is met when we become clothed in Christ. God provides the gift of perfect grace and acceptance
The Gospel, of course, tells us of a profound spiritual healing. We hear that THEY arrived at the shore, but only Jesus got out of the boat – the possessed man perhaps intimidated the rest of the disciples who chose to stay in the boat. The naked man at Jesus’ feet begs for help, and the God of Love acknowledges him immediately. Notice, however, that the demons within the man were not cast out by Jesus, but asked his permission to enter the pigs rather than be cast into the abyss. God’s compassion is so strong that he allows this to happen, and yet the pigs drown themselves, thereby presumably sending the demons to the abyss all the same. And then we see the man again – this time calm, clothed, still at the feet of our Lord. His physical needs have been met in his clothing. His emotional needs will be able to be met now that he is again in his right mind, and can enter into relation with those around him. Spiritually, he is challenged to meet his own needs, by sharing the good news of God in Christ with those he meets, rather than staying beside the person of Jesus; this will also prevent him from creating that void again into which the demons might enter. The rest of the people from the area become so afraid by what they have seen that they ask Jesus to leave – which he does. They are not prepared to look within themselves, and determine what their needs are and if they are being met. Their fuel tanks are empty, and they don’t want Jesus to see that.
So how are your fuel tanks? Are your needs being met? Or do you need a top-up? Physically, do you have enough to eat? Is there a roof over your head and clothing on your body? Emotionally, have you smiled this week? Had a conversation with a loved one? Celebrated some ‘down time’ with a good book or a soccer game? Spiritually, have you talked with God, thanked Him for the abundant blessings he continually bestows upon you? Made an effort to journey closer with Him in all you do? Have you recognised that God provides all the fuel we will ever need?
In order to live fully, we need a mixture of all of these fuels – we never know when we might need to call upon strength from within ourselves. When adversity strikes, if our tank is low, we may not have the fuel to get through the tough times. So our challenge is to make sure that we fill all of our fuel tanks every day. And then we too can go proclaiming throughout the town how much Jesus has done for us.
17 June 2010
So, it's been forever since I last blogged. We've come up with a new worship timetable, so I'm not physically writing out my sermons anymore (which is GREAT for me!) but means that I've not been posting. And then my computer died - so it took a few weeks to get a new one in.
I've been having some great rambling thoughts recently - life has been ticking away as it ought, but it's been busy... I was in Toronto for PWRDF Board meetings in early May, and got to see some people from that neck of the woods as I flew by. I was in Halifax at the end of May for PWRDF Youth Council (I'm the Board rep), which would have been much more fun had I not been in a minor car accident and whiplashed. The (clergy) collar on the (cervical) collar was fun though...
Back home in gorgeous Manitoba things are going okay. Church life is good, but busy. I had my first service at Solsgirth last weekend, which was cool - Sts. Stephen's and James' is a cute little church building that has no amenities like plumbing or hydro, so we have very occasional services there - but it was fun! Parish Council is addressing any issues like the magical exploding toilet (I came home from Halifax to Mt. Vesuvius of plumbing... and learned that sometimes plumbers show up without so much as a plunger... ?!), and building the (desperately needed) garage.
I planted my garden a few weeks ago with the seedlings I had carefully propogated inside since April, and in 2 days the lovely birds had come and eaten them all. *fist shaking!* So I went out and got row covers, and re-planted the garden, and thus far the birds are frustrated and the plants are still there!
I had the sad hoonour of officiating the funeral for Evan's mom Donna - it was harder than I had expected, but it seems to have gone well. Ev did a great eulogy, and Stacy sang a gorgeous song. Amazingly strong people.
So now I'm just getting ready for summer - I'm not planning any summer vacation (bring on fall!) but do intend to have some time in my canoe. There's plenty of water around here, and oodles more falling from the sky as I type, so it should be lovely. I'm also excited to have guests this summer; I have friends coming through in early July when heading west, and Veronica, Mike and Ethan (!!) are coming out for a long weekend at the end of August. I'm also going to be at the Diocesan church camp for a week in July, woohoo!
That's about it for now - I have some more books to read this weekend, and am looking forward to some down time!
I've been having some great rambling thoughts recently - life has been ticking away as it ought, but it's been busy... I was in Toronto for PWRDF Board meetings in early May, and got to see some people from that neck of the woods as I flew by. I was in Halifax at the end of May for PWRDF Youth Council (I'm the Board rep), which would have been much more fun had I not been in a minor car accident and whiplashed. The (clergy) collar on the (cervical) collar was fun though...
Back home in gorgeous Manitoba things are going okay. Church life is good, but busy. I had my first service at Solsgirth last weekend, which was cool - Sts. Stephen's and James' is a cute little church building that has no amenities like plumbing or hydro, so we have very occasional services there - but it was fun! Parish Council is addressing any issues like the magical exploding toilet (I came home from Halifax to Mt. Vesuvius of plumbing... and learned that sometimes plumbers show up without so much as a plunger... ?!), and building the (desperately needed) garage.
I planted my garden a few weeks ago with the seedlings I had carefully propogated inside since April, and in 2 days the lovely birds had come and eaten them all. *fist shaking!* So I went out and got row covers, and re-planted the garden, and thus far the birds are frustrated and the plants are still there!
I had the sad hoonour of officiating the funeral for Evan's mom Donna - it was harder than I had expected, but it seems to have gone well. Ev did a great eulogy, and Stacy sang a gorgeous song. Amazingly strong people.
So now I'm just getting ready for summer - I'm not planning any summer vacation (bring on fall!) but do intend to have some time in my canoe. There's plenty of water around here, and oodles more falling from the sky as I type, so it should be lovely. I'm also excited to have guests this summer; I have friends coming through in early July when heading west, and Veronica, Mike and Ethan (!!) are coming out for a long weekend at the end of August. I'm also going to be at the Diocesan church camp for a week in July, woohoo!
That's about it for now - I have some more books to read this weekend, and am looking forward to some down time!
02 May 2010
Easter 5
Acts 11:1-18
Psalm 148
Rev. 21:1-6
John 13:31-35
Do you watch the news? Listen to it on the radio? Read the headlines in the newspaper this week? There have been some interesting stories recently. A few that caught my attention: Sunday morning a bomb was found in a car in New York City’s Times Square. Had the bomb gone off, it would have caused incredible damage, and likely hundreds or thousands of deaths. The country of Greece has just agreed to the terms of the financial bail-out – to the amount of 145 BILLION dollars. While most of us cannot even begin to fathom that amount of money, the Greek population continues to have general strife over these issues, and protests and riots are ongoing, with people being injured on a regular basis. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – currently about the size of Jamaica - has now reached the Louisiana shore – and is wreaking havoc with the wildlife there, killing or injuring thousands of creatures as well as devastating the sealife. And, they’ve learned that the underwater well is spewing oil faster than they had first believed, so this environmental disaster will be worse than expected – and there has yet been no real call for governments to increase environmental policies and procedures against large corporations to try to protect our fragile ecosystems. Closer to home there are two US states that have recently passed laws that threaten existing human rights; in Arizona, a new immigration law actively persecutes Mexican-born citizens and migrant workers, while in Oklahoma women’s reproductive rights are being diminished; doctors are not required to inform a mother-to-be of a fetus’ illness or deformity if they think it may lead to termination. Here in Canada, Omark Khadr refuses to attend his military trial as he alleges that he is being treated with less than basic dignity required for all humans. Former Base Commander Williams of CFB Trenton, accused of 2 brutal murders, has been charged with an additional 82 charges of breaking and entering, obviously ignoring the great honour known in our Canadian military. And a man in BC has been sentenced for his hate crime – he disliked another man’s actions so strongly that he beat him savagely while hurtling insults.
This is NOT the good news of the gospel. This is not the message of hope and peace and love that Christ came to share with us.
Let’s go back to the hate crime for just a moment. These days we tend to use the word ‘hate’ very lightly. If we aren’t fond of dinner, we say we “hate” the brussel sprouts. If we aren’t enjoying what’s on television, then we “hate” reality TV. True hate, however, is a constant state of being completely devoid of love, compassion, basic respect. It’s so pervasive that it takes over a person so that it’s all someone feels. It’s a horrible thing that overpowers all else, and eats away at a persons’ soul. So a crime based on hate is a terrifying concept.
Let’s turn this around for a moment. Let’s imagine that instead of being filled with hatred, one is so completely filled with love that it seeps out of every pore. If there were such a thing as a ‘love crime’, would you be charged and tried? Would you be convicted?
Recently a young man died unexpectedly, likely of an aneurism. James was the type of person who always had a smile on his face, always offering a kind word or sharing a joke. He brightened the room just by entering it, and even on a bad day would try to remain positive so as not to bring down anyone else’s mood. After his death, naturally his family and friends were devastated, and set up an online memorial page. There were the expected comments of grief and support and love. What was perhaps unexpected, however, were the comments from James’ wife’s ex-husband. Normally, one might not expect there to be good feelings between current and former spouses. This man, however, commented on how he appreciated James’ concern for the whole family, how James had made his wife happier than he had ever done; how James’ influence in raising the child from the first marriage was to be commended, how James had been a good help to him personally as they family continued to struggle through its changes. Quite remarkable in this day and age to see such an outpouring of positivity where one expects conflict. James was the kind of man who would easily be charged for ‘love crimes’ upon humanity.
Jesus commands us to love one another. To be clear, he does not expect us to like everyone. We’re human, we are not all going to like the actions of every other person we encounter. But we are called to love them. There’s a difference between liking (or disliking) a person’s actions, which is a temporary and change-able sentiment, and loving someone, which is a permanent state of being. We like someone for what they do, we love someone for who they are. And they are, as we are, children of God.
So when we prevent ourselves from loving another person fully – with the unconditional, all-encompassing agape love of God, we are judging another person. And who are we to judge? If we choose not to fully love someone because of words they have said that we dislike, we are putting up a barrier. If we consider ourselves better than another based on fashion style or what car we drive, we are putting up another barrier. Each time we judge, it is like we are putting a brick between us. We gradually build a wall as we refuse to offer love. But that wall will also prevent us from receiving love.
With this wall between us, we are denying ourselves quite a bit. Because if we take our baptismal vows seriously, we are seeking the Christ in all persons. So this wall we have built is acting as a barrier for us to know Christ. Each brick is a step away from the God that we claim to be seeking to walk beside.
Jesus came to earth to be with us. He died a gruesome death for our sake – because He fully loves us – each and every one of us – even though we weren’t anywhere near being born yet. If Jesus could do that for us, then unthought-of strangers, what can we do for Him? How do we engage our friends, family, neighbours, and remove those barriers? How do move beyond that to strangers, people whose actions we dislike, and admit that we love them as our family in Christ?
Our challenge in this new commandment is to recognise when we are not fully loving someone, and to remove that brick from the wall. The first time will be difficult – but it can be done. And the second one will be easier, because we’ll have started learning how to do it. As we continue, and the wall gets smaller, we’ll earn a greater and more complete relationship with the risen Christ. And I believe that when those walls are down, we will see the New heavens and New earth that we are promised. I believe that “to love another person is to see the face of God” - all we have to do is learn how to look.
Amen.
Psalm 148
Rev. 21:1-6
John 13:31-35
Do you watch the news? Listen to it on the radio? Read the headlines in the newspaper this week? There have been some interesting stories recently. A few that caught my attention: Sunday morning a bomb was found in a car in New York City’s Times Square. Had the bomb gone off, it would have caused incredible damage, and likely hundreds or thousands of deaths. The country of Greece has just agreed to the terms of the financial bail-out – to the amount of 145 BILLION dollars. While most of us cannot even begin to fathom that amount of money, the Greek population continues to have general strife over these issues, and protests and riots are ongoing, with people being injured on a regular basis. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – currently about the size of Jamaica - has now reached the Louisiana shore – and is wreaking havoc with the wildlife there, killing or injuring thousands of creatures as well as devastating the sealife. And, they’ve learned that the underwater well is spewing oil faster than they had first believed, so this environmental disaster will be worse than expected – and there has yet been no real call for governments to increase environmental policies and procedures against large corporations to try to protect our fragile ecosystems. Closer to home there are two US states that have recently passed laws that threaten existing human rights; in Arizona, a new immigration law actively persecutes Mexican-born citizens and migrant workers, while in Oklahoma women’s reproductive rights are being diminished; doctors are not required to inform a mother-to-be of a fetus’ illness or deformity if they think it may lead to termination. Here in Canada, Omark Khadr refuses to attend his military trial as he alleges that he is being treated with less than basic dignity required for all humans. Former Base Commander Williams of CFB Trenton, accused of 2 brutal murders, has been charged with an additional 82 charges of breaking and entering, obviously ignoring the great honour known in our Canadian military. And a man in BC has been sentenced for his hate crime – he disliked another man’s actions so strongly that he beat him savagely while hurtling insults.
This is NOT the good news of the gospel. This is not the message of hope and peace and love that Christ came to share with us.
Let’s go back to the hate crime for just a moment. These days we tend to use the word ‘hate’ very lightly. If we aren’t fond of dinner, we say we “hate” the brussel sprouts. If we aren’t enjoying what’s on television, then we “hate” reality TV. True hate, however, is a constant state of being completely devoid of love, compassion, basic respect. It’s so pervasive that it takes over a person so that it’s all someone feels. It’s a horrible thing that overpowers all else, and eats away at a persons’ soul. So a crime based on hate is a terrifying concept.
Let’s turn this around for a moment. Let’s imagine that instead of being filled with hatred, one is so completely filled with love that it seeps out of every pore. If there were such a thing as a ‘love crime’, would you be charged and tried? Would you be convicted?
Recently a young man died unexpectedly, likely of an aneurism. James was the type of person who always had a smile on his face, always offering a kind word or sharing a joke. He brightened the room just by entering it, and even on a bad day would try to remain positive so as not to bring down anyone else’s mood. After his death, naturally his family and friends were devastated, and set up an online memorial page. There were the expected comments of grief and support and love. What was perhaps unexpected, however, were the comments from James’ wife’s ex-husband. Normally, one might not expect there to be good feelings between current and former spouses. This man, however, commented on how he appreciated James’ concern for the whole family, how James had made his wife happier than he had ever done; how James’ influence in raising the child from the first marriage was to be commended, how James had been a good help to him personally as they family continued to struggle through its changes. Quite remarkable in this day and age to see such an outpouring of positivity where one expects conflict. James was the kind of man who would easily be charged for ‘love crimes’ upon humanity.
Jesus commands us to love one another. To be clear, he does not expect us to like everyone. We’re human, we are not all going to like the actions of every other person we encounter. But we are called to love them. There’s a difference between liking (or disliking) a person’s actions, which is a temporary and change-able sentiment, and loving someone, which is a permanent state of being. We like someone for what they do, we love someone for who they are. And they are, as we are, children of God.
So when we prevent ourselves from loving another person fully – with the unconditional, all-encompassing agape love of God, we are judging another person. And who are we to judge? If we choose not to fully love someone because of words they have said that we dislike, we are putting up a barrier. If we consider ourselves better than another based on fashion style or what car we drive, we are putting up another barrier. Each time we judge, it is like we are putting a brick between us. We gradually build a wall as we refuse to offer love. But that wall will also prevent us from receiving love.
With this wall between us, we are denying ourselves quite a bit. Because if we take our baptismal vows seriously, we are seeking the Christ in all persons. So this wall we have built is acting as a barrier for us to know Christ. Each brick is a step away from the God that we claim to be seeking to walk beside.
Jesus came to earth to be with us. He died a gruesome death for our sake – because He fully loves us – each and every one of us – even though we weren’t anywhere near being born yet. If Jesus could do that for us, then unthought-of strangers, what can we do for Him? How do we engage our friends, family, neighbours, and remove those barriers? How do move beyond that to strangers, people whose actions we dislike, and admit that we love them as our family in Christ?
Our challenge in this new commandment is to recognise when we are not fully loving someone, and to remove that brick from the wall. The first time will be difficult – but it can be done. And the second one will be easier, because we’ll have started learning how to do it. As we continue, and the wall gets smaller, we’ll earn a greater and more complete relationship with the risen Christ. And I believe that when those walls are down, we will see the New heavens and New earth that we are promised. I believe that “to love another person is to see the face of God” - all we have to do is learn how to look.
Amen.
13 March 2010
Lent 4
Joshua 5:9-12 * Psalm 32 * 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 * Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
How do you feel when you lose something? How do you feel when you find it again? Well, it depends on what you’ve lost, and in what context. If you lose your keys while bringing in a load of groceries, you know that they will be found again. You let yourself into the house with them, and though you didn’t put them in their normal place, you know that they ARE there; there’s a finite number of places they could be. So, it’s a basic search and rescue operation, and you feel a bit silly when you find them in the freezer on top of the ice cream, but also a little relieved. When you discover that you’ve lost something through no fault of your own, like a missing earring, you feel a bit more frustrated at the lack of control over the situation, and disappointment that you may not find the missing jewellery. Maybe they were your favourite earrings, maybe they were an heirloom; you feel a sense of loss. And, a few weeks down the road when you find it under the edge of the fridge, there’s relief and you realise that you now appreciate these earrings more because you have known what it is like to do without them, and you understand what emotional connection you have to them. Sometimes we lose things due to appearance – I once lost my car while Christmas shopping. I walked out of the store, and in the spot where I had parked my very dirty, brownish-greyish Kia Sportage, there was a sparkling silver SUV. I was furious – someone had intentionally stolen MY car, with all MY purchases in it. I was indignant – all my plans for that week would have to be re-arranged as there would be reports to file, I would have to buy a new car despite having JUST paid off that one, Christmas would be lean in the giving department. As I was pulling out my mobile phone to call the police, I remembered that I had just been through the car wash, and so the sparkling car was in fact mine. I was embarrassed, naturally, as my eyes and memory had deceived me; but mostly I was relieved and delighted that my very human plans would not need to change.
Now, I invite you to imagine that someONE has been lost. Not just a thing, a material item, but a person you love deeply. Imagine that this person has chosen to leave you, and in the days before telephone or email, you have no way of knowing where they are, what they are up to, even if they’re still alive. They decided to go and party, with no intention of returning. When the eldest son takes his inheritance, it is with the understanding that to him, his father is dead. The wealth is much more important than his family. He turns his back on his relatives, his home, everything that has meant much to him up to this point. He’s just won the jackpot, the ultimate lottery. He’s RICH! He can buy friends and servants and all the clothes and food he wants, he doesn’t need to labour for dad, following the old man’s rules, sharing everything with his brother. He is now his own man, and can live how he pleases.
So – imagine how dad feels. Betrayed, but allowing his son to go with half of his money as he desires. He’s depressed – his own child has turned his back on him and the rest of the family. The son’s departure not only symbolises that the son considers the family dead, but that the family should consider the son dead as well. Yet dad continues working, for the sake of the remaining family, which is much more important than the significant mount of money that he has just lost long with his child.
Imagine how the younger brother who stays at home feels. He’s picking up the slack that his absent brother has left. He’s looking after the physical and emotional needs of the household – presumably mom, sisters, and servants along with dad. This is the good child, who likely has received his parents’ blessings for his commitment to family. He may miss his brother, but he has set up his life around this new structure.
Imagine the first brother. He is out, having a good time. Partying, spending all his money. Until the money runs out. Suddenly, his bought friends are no longer wanting to spend time with him, the rich foods and clothes start to disappear, and life isn’t as good as it once seemed. He’s penniless, friendless, starving and wearing threadbare rags. No one will lend him money, he cannot get work, he’s begging for food and still doing without. He has hit rock bottom.
So, what happens? He repents. He returns to his father’s land, begging to be forgiven. He is not expecting a handout from the Bank of Mom and Dad, he is not even expecting to be acknowledged. But he hopes. He returns because this is his last hope at finding work, and thus staying alive. He is certainly not expecting his father to throw a feast at his return. Equally surprised is the “good child” brother, the one who has laboured without partying, the one whose inheritance remains secure. This brother cries out against the injustice of the situation. It’s not fair! And of course, any parent has heard those words before. And that’s the truth – it isn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that when the older brother left, all the work landed on the younger brother. It wasn’t fair that the father not only accepted the brothers’ return, but celebrated it. It wasn’t fair that that celebration of the older brother came at the cost of the younger brothers’ future inheritance. And, in a culture where birthrights establish your place in life, it wasn’t fair that the brothers’ return has now cost the younger brother his place as first son. It was simply not fair.
But then again, life seldom is.
So what are we to learn from this? We already know that life isn’t fair, that some people have amazing advantages based on birthplace, access to education, colour of skin, economic situation, etc. We know this – as did people at that time. If you happened to be born to the royal family, you were rich, well advantaged. If your parents happened to be slaves – well, life would always be difficult, and it wouldn’t legally belong to you. We know this. So what is it that Jesus is trying to teach us?
We can learn that no matter our earthly situation, we are loved. Jesus uses this parable to invite us to recognise that when we repent, when we acknowledge that we need our Father above all else, and are willing to be humble about it, we receive riches beyond our imagination. The prodigal son coming home is an allegory for us to see the benefits of returning to God, every time we have turned away; every time we have chosen to take advantage of our earthly fortunes to our own glory, not God’s. We are the benefits of complete and unconditional love from God, no matter how far we feel we my have distanced ourselves from Him.
We can also learn from the younger brother. While his first reaction identifies the perceived injustice of the situation, once things have calmed down a little bit he can choose to see what he has lost. The truth is, he has lost nothing. He remains a beloved child in the family, whose efforts have always been appreciated. His safety and security are still present, it’s not as though he’s being kicked out because his brother came back. His inheritance remains intact; he is still entitled to half of his fathers’ land and livestock. Ideally, he would not have been counting on what would become his; it’s tacky to consider how your own net worth might increase at the cost of a loved ones’ life. And his father reminds him of all of this, and also of the benefit of having his brother back, essentially from the dead. The father articulates that he has never been ignored simply because he has remained constantly present.
We can choose to hear in this story a message of appreciation, not of loss. We, the beloved family of God, are not ignored simply because we’re the ones who are involved here at the church, worshipping, praying daily, living as Christ commands. God rejoices when someone repents and returns to Him; he also rejoices every second of every day that we acknowledge we belong to him. God appreciates us for simply being; He never takes it for granted that we will always choose to be His. Which means that none of us will ever be lacking for His love based on any of our actions. We are fully loved, no matter what we do, no matter what we think, no matter what we feel. And so, the younger brother is correct – it’s not fair. God’s love is not ‘fair’ by modern standards. And for that, we thank God.
How do you feel when you lose something? How do you feel when you find it again? Well, it depends on what you’ve lost, and in what context. If you lose your keys while bringing in a load of groceries, you know that they will be found again. You let yourself into the house with them, and though you didn’t put them in their normal place, you know that they ARE there; there’s a finite number of places they could be. So, it’s a basic search and rescue operation, and you feel a bit silly when you find them in the freezer on top of the ice cream, but also a little relieved. When you discover that you’ve lost something through no fault of your own, like a missing earring, you feel a bit more frustrated at the lack of control over the situation, and disappointment that you may not find the missing jewellery. Maybe they were your favourite earrings, maybe they were an heirloom; you feel a sense of loss. And, a few weeks down the road when you find it under the edge of the fridge, there’s relief and you realise that you now appreciate these earrings more because you have known what it is like to do without them, and you understand what emotional connection you have to them. Sometimes we lose things due to appearance – I once lost my car while Christmas shopping. I walked out of the store, and in the spot where I had parked my very dirty, brownish-greyish Kia Sportage, there was a sparkling silver SUV. I was furious – someone had intentionally stolen MY car, with all MY purchases in it. I was indignant – all my plans for that week would have to be re-arranged as there would be reports to file, I would have to buy a new car despite having JUST paid off that one, Christmas would be lean in the giving department. As I was pulling out my mobile phone to call the police, I remembered that I had just been through the car wash, and so the sparkling car was in fact mine. I was embarrassed, naturally, as my eyes and memory had deceived me; but mostly I was relieved and delighted that my very human plans would not need to change.
Now, I invite you to imagine that someONE has been lost. Not just a thing, a material item, but a person you love deeply. Imagine that this person has chosen to leave you, and in the days before telephone or email, you have no way of knowing where they are, what they are up to, even if they’re still alive. They decided to go and party, with no intention of returning. When the eldest son takes his inheritance, it is with the understanding that to him, his father is dead. The wealth is much more important than his family. He turns his back on his relatives, his home, everything that has meant much to him up to this point. He’s just won the jackpot, the ultimate lottery. He’s RICH! He can buy friends and servants and all the clothes and food he wants, he doesn’t need to labour for dad, following the old man’s rules, sharing everything with his brother. He is now his own man, and can live how he pleases.
So – imagine how dad feels. Betrayed, but allowing his son to go with half of his money as he desires. He’s depressed – his own child has turned his back on him and the rest of the family. The son’s departure not only symbolises that the son considers the family dead, but that the family should consider the son dead as well. Yet dad continues working, for the sake of the remaining family, which is much more important than the significant mount of money that he has just lost long with his child.
Imagine how the younger brother who stays at home feels. He’s picking up the slack that his absent brother has left. He’s looking after the physical and emotional needs of the household – presumably mom, sisters, and servants along with dad. This is the good child, who likely has received his parents’ blessings for his commitment to family. He may miss his brother, but he has set up his life around this new structure.
Imagine the first brother. He is out, having a good time. Partying, spending all his money. Until the money runs out. Suddenly, his bought friends are no longer wanting to spend time with him, the rich foods and clothes start to disappear, and life isn’t as good as it once seemed. He’s penniless, friendless, starving and wearing threadbare rags. No one will lend him money, he cannot get work, he’s begging for food and still doing without. He has hit rock bottom.
So, what happens? He repents. He returns to his father’s land, begging to be forgiven. He is not expecting a handout from the Bank of Mom and Dad, he is not even expecting to be acknowledged. But he hopes. He returns because this is his last hope at finding work, and thus staying alive. He is certainly not expecting his father to throw a feast at his return. Equally surprised is the “good child” brother, the one who has laboured without partying, the one whose inheritance remains secure. This brother cries out against the injustice of the situation. It’s not fair! And of course, any parent has heard those words before. And that’s the truth – it isn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that when the older brother left, all the work landed on the younger brother. It wasn’t fair that the father not only accepted the brothers’ return, but celebrated it. It wasn’t fair that that celebration of the older brother came at the cost of the younger brothers’ future inheritance. And, in a culture where birthrights establish your place in life, it wasn’t fair that the brothers’ return has now cost the younger brother his place as first son. It was simply not fair.
But then again, life seldom is.
So what are we to learn from this? We already know that life isn’t fair, that some people have amazing advantages based on birthplace, access to education, colour of skin, economic situation, etc. We know this – as did people at that time. If you happened to be born to the royal family, you were rich, well advantaged. If your parents happened to be slaves – well, life would always be difficult, and it wouldn’t legally belong to you. We know this. So what is it that Jesus is trying to teach us?
We can learn that no matter our earthly situation, we are loved. Jesus uses this parable to invite us to recognise that when we repent, when we acknowledge that we need our Father above all else, and are willing to be humble about it, we receive riches beyond our imagination. The prodigal son coming home is an allegory for us to see the benefits of returning to God, every time we have turned away; every time we have chosen to take advantage of our earthly fortunes to our own glory, not God’s. We are the benefits of complete and unconditional love from God, no matter how far we feel we my have distanced ourselves from Him.
We can also learn from the younger brother. While his first reaction identifies the perceived injustice of the situation, once things have calmed down a little bit he can choose to see what he has lost. The truth is, he has lost nothing. He remains a beloved child in the family, whose efforts have always been appreciated. His safety and security are still present, it’s not as though he’s being kicked out because his brother came back. His inheritance remains intact; he is still entitled to half of his fathers’ land and livestock. Ideally, he would not have been counting on what would become his; it’s tacky to consider how your own net worth might increase at the cost of a loved ones’ life. And his father reminds him of all of this, and also of the benefit of having his brother back, essentially from the dead. The father articulates that he has never been ignored simply because he has remained constantly present.
We can choose to hear in this story a message of appreciation, not of loss. We, the beloved family of God, are not ignored simply because we’re the ones who are involved here at the church, worshipping, praying daily, living as Christ commands. God rejoices when someone repents and returns to Him; he also rejoices every second of every day that we acknowledge we belong to him. God appreciates us for simply being; He never takes it for granted that we will always choose to be His. Which means that none of us will ever be lacking for His love based on any of our actions. We are fully loved, no matter what we do, no matter what we think, no matter what we feel. And so, the younger brother is correct – it’s not fair. God’s love is not ‘fair’ by modern standards. And for that, we thank God.
07 March 2010
Lent 3
Isaiah 55:1-9 * Psalm 63:1-8 * 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 * Luke 13:1-9
What did you eat today? A hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs? A healthy bowl of oatmeal and glass of juice? Some instant-breakfast drink? Last night’s left-overs? Whatever you had, was it tasty? Did it nourish you? Was the benefit worth the cost?
Our bodies are amazing things. We store up excess nourishment when we have it, we use up that excess when our diets are lacking. Our bodies will, if we pay attention to them, let us know what it is that they need – when we need protein, we crave meat or nuts; when we need fruit or vegetables we crave those. When we need fluids, we get thirsty; when we hunger, our stomachs grumble. As our need increases, so do the messages our bodies give us until we respond.
So where does our sustenance come from? Not just the fridge or cupboard within the house, or the restaurant down the way. The stores. Have you been grocery shopping recently? Likely. When we go shopping, we take part in a very old tradition known as bartering. In our culture, the main instrument of barter is money. Good, hard currency. It may be bills and coin, a credit or debit card, a cheque, whatever – but we pay for what we need and want. And what happens when we take things without paying for them? Well, then the authorities get involved, because that is simply not acceptable in this society.
So- what did you purchase the last time you went shopping? Good lean meats, lots of healthy vegetables and fruits, breads and cereals, milk and cheese. All of those wonderful things that nourish our bodies so that we can do our work in the world. Our bodies need a general blend of nourishing factors to keep us strong and healthy. If we start to go without some of these nutritional building blocks, we start to suffer. When we are more physically active, we need more nourishment, and usually more proteins and carbohydrates to keep our energy up. When we are more sedentary, we need fewer calories but more roughage in order to keep our delicate systems working properly. What we do with our bodies tells us what we need to do to nourish them. However, what we put into our bodies will determine what we can get out of them - we cannot expect high energy output if we are not putting in good quality fuel.
So what else did you buy at the grocery store? What other food – or food-like products – grace your cupboard? There are so many processed foods these days that are so accessible, and easy to prepare, but may not be the best for us nutritionally. The basic rule of foods is that if you cannot pronounce it., you should not eat it. I challenge you to read some of the ingredients on your processed foods – see if you can identify what it is, why it’s in there, and where it comes from. Snack foods are the worst – the very popular American treat-cake, the Twinkie, is not actually food. It’s mostly oil. Not vegetable oil, crude. Yes, Twinkies are not grown, they’re mined. Suddenly they’re not so tasty, when you know what’s in them. Think about it – if they were food, they would eventually go bad. Just like margarine – it’s one chemical compound away from being plastic. Fruit flies won’t even eat it. But we treat it as food. Instant foods. Potato chips. Microwave popcorn. My own treat of choice – Doritos. All of those products that are now being re-considered – they’re dangerously high in sodium, they’re disastrously high in trans-fats (did we even know what those were 5 years ago?) – these are in our grocery carts because they are tasty, and convenient, and generally inexpensive, and have a long shelf-life, and we know them.
But what do they offer our bodies? Well, they certainly offer calories. And flavour. But not nourishment. In fact, they can have the opposite effect, wreaking havoc in our bodies rather than providing us with the necessary fuel. We’re hearing more and more about the dangers of what we’re eating and how we’re eating it. We’re learning more about how food is produced, grown, transported. There are people who will only eat organic, fairly-traded or local foods, in an effort to avoid this ‘bad stuff’.
So why are we thinking about the nourishment we buy? Because the scriptures today talk to us about the nourishment that is freely given. The reading from Isaiah exudes this in its opening verses – “Ho! Come to the waters, you who thirst! Come and get food and eat it, even if you have no money!” It sounds counter-cultural, because it is. The person speaking here is God. God is offering us nourishment – spiritual nourishment – for everyone. God does not expect to receive compensation for this gift of nourishment. Instead he simply wants people to have their fill. He’s making a promise to continue feeding all those people that come to Him. And he’s not offering the cheap imitation food that isn’t good for us, he’s offering the best possible food that can be found.
God then challenges us to consider what type of nourishment we normally consume. “Why spend your money on that which is not bread?” It’s a two-part question. First God is asking if we prefer Twinkies over fresh bread. Instant and unhealthy or nutritious and tasty? It shouldn’t be a hard question. He’s also asking us if we want the bread of the bakery, or the Bread of Heaven. Physical and earthly things or spiritual and heavenly? Again, it shouldn’t be a hard question. Yet so often we make the wrong choice.
The reading is God making a covenant, or holy contract, with each and every one of us. He reminds us that His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. We get caught up on the earthly things which offer no nourishment, forgetting to fill ourselves with the spiritual abundance He is offering. And so here God promises us that all we have to do is turn to Him for our spiritual fill, whether we feel we can afford to or not.
Jesus carries this message of free spiritual nourishment one step further. He assures those gathered around that premature death or devastation is not a punishment from God for sin. But he does teach people that they should repent of their sins at all times, because we never know when the end may come. And whether it’s being sacrificed by enemy forces, caught under a falling structure, or more modern examples of vehicle collisions or devastating earthquakes, we do not know when we will leave this life. And so when we repent our sins and choose to walk with God, following His ways and His teachings, we are prepared spiritually for whatever may happen to our mortal physical selves.
And so we prepare. Especially in Lent, as we continue our journey of self-reflection, we see that holding on to our sinful ways and thoughts prevents us from fully receiving God’s grace and spiritual nourishment. We, like the fig tree, can not bear fruit as a result. And so Jesus calls us to tend to ourselves through that repentance – to dig around ourselves, to provide good spiritual nourishment through fasting, studying scripture, prayer and meditation, self-examination. And we remember that God has promised us the best nourishment, as much as we want. God’s promise to us is for our benefit – because God will delight when we will grow into the fruit-producing beings that He made us to be. It all depends if we will let Him nourish us.
So – what did you eat today? What is your body telling you it wants? More importantly, what is your soul telling you it needs? As we continue our journey towards Easter, may we continue our Lenten prayer for strength, perseverance and faith – knowing that God is providing for us the Bread for our Journey.
What did you eat today? A hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs? A healthy bowl of oatmeal and glass of juice? Some instant-breakfast drink? Last night’s left-overs? Whatever you had, was it tasty? Did it nourish you? Was the benefit worth the cost?
Our bodies are amazing things. We store up excess nourishment when we have it, we use up that excess when our diets are lacking. Our bodies will, if we pay attention to them, let us know what it is that they need – when we need protein, we crave meat or nuts; when we need fruit or vegetables we crave those. When we need fluids, we get thirsty; when we hunger, our stomachs grumble. As our need increases, so do the messages our bodies give us until we respond.
So where does our sustenance come from? Not just the fridge or cupboard within the house, or the restaurant down the way. The stores. Have you been grocery shopping recently? Likely. When we go shopping, we take part in a very old tradition known as bartering. In our culture, the main instrument of barter is money. Good, hard currency. It may be bills and coin, a credit or debit card, a cheque, whatever – but we pay for what we need and want. And what happens when we take things without paying for them? Well, then the authorities get involved, because that is simply not acceptable in this society.
So- what did you purchase the last time you went shopping? Good lean meats, lots of healthy vegetables and fruits, breads and cereals, milk and cheese. All of those wonderful things that nourish our bodies so that we can do our work in the world. Our bodies need a general blend of nourishing factors to keep us strong and healthy. If we start to go without some of these nutritional building blocks, we start to suffer. When we are more physically active, we need more nourishment, and usually more proteins and carbohydrates to keep our energy up. When we are more sedentary, we need fewer calories but more roughage in order to keep our delicate systems working properly. What we do with our bodies tells us what we need to do to nourish them. However, what we put into our bodies will determine what we can get out of them - we cannot expect high energy output if we are not putting in good quality fuel.
So what else did you buy at the grocery store? What other food – or food-like products – grace your cupboard? There are so many processed foods these days that are so accessible, and easy to prepare, but may not be the best for us nutritionally. The basic rule of foods is that if you cannot pronounce it., you should not eat it. I challenge you to read some of the ingredients on your processed foods – see if you can identify what it is, why it’s in there, and where it comes from. Snack foods are the worst – the very popular American treat-cake, the Twinkie, is not actually food. It’s mostly oil. Not vegetable oil, crude. Yes, Twinkies are not grown, they’re mined. Suddenly they’re not so tasty, when you know what’s in them. Think about it – if they were food, they would eventually go bad. Just like margarine – it’s one chemical compound away from being plastic. Fruit flies won’t even eat it. But we treat it as food. Instant foods. Potato chips. Microwave popcorn. My own treat of choice – Doritos. All of those products that are now being re-considered – they’re dangerously high in sodium, they’re disastrously high in trans-fats (did we even know what those were 5 years ago?) – these are in our grocery carts because they are tasty, and convenient, and generally inexpensive, and have a long shelf-life, and we know them.
But what do they offer our bodies? Well, they certainly offer calories. And flavour. But not nourishment. In fact, they can have the opposite effect, wreaking havoc in our bodies rather than providing us with the necessary fuel. We’re hearing more and more about the dangers of what we’re eating and how we’re eating it. We’re learning more about how food is produced, grown, transported. There are people who will only eat organic, fairly-traded or local foods, in an effort to avoid this ‘bad stuff’.
So why are we thinking about the nourishment we buy? Because the scriptures today talk to us about the nourishment that is freely given. The reading from Isaiah exudes this in its opening verses – “Ho! Come to the waters, you who thirst! Come and get food and eat it, even if you have no money!” It sounds counter-cultural, because it is. The person speaking here is God. God is offering us nourishment – spiritual nourishment – for everyone. God does not expect to receive compensation for this gift of nourishment. Instead he simply wants people to have their fill. He’s making a promise to continue feeding all those people that come to Him. And he’s not offering the cheap imitation food that isn’t good for us, he’s offering the best possible food that can be found.
God then challenges us to consider what type of nourishment we normally consume. “Why spend your money on that which is not bread?” It’s a two-part question. First God is asking if we prefer Twinkies over fresh bread. Instant and unhealthy or nutritious and tasty? It shouldn’t be a hard question. He’s also asking us if we want the bread of the bakery, or the Bread of Heaven. Physical and earthly things or spiritual and heavenly? Again, it shouldn’t be a hard question. Yet so often we make the wrong choice.
The reading is God making a covenant, or holy contract, with each and every one of us. He reminds us that His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. We get caught up on the earthly things which offer no nourishment, forgetting to fill ourselves with the spiritual abundance He is offering. And so here God promises us that all we have to do is turn to Him for our spiritual fill, whether we feel we can afford to or not.
Jesus carries this message of free spiritual nourishment one step further. He assures those gathered around that premature death or devastation is not a punishment from God for sin. But he does teach people that they should repent of their sins at all times, because we never know when the end may come. And whether it’s being sacrificed by enemy forces, caught under a falling structure, or more modern examples of vehicle collisions or devastating earthquakes, we do not know when we will leave this life. And so when we repent our sins and choose to walk with God, following His ways and His teachings, we are prepared spiritually for whatever may happen to our mortal physical selves.
And so we prepare. Especially in Lent, as we continue our journey of self-reflection, we see that holding on to our sinful ways and thoughts prevents us from fully receiving God’s grace and spiritual nourishment. We, like the fig tree, can not bear fruit as a result. And so Jesus calls us to tend to ourselves through that repentance – to dig around ourselves, to provide good spiritual nourishment through fasting, studying scripture, prayer and meditation, self-examination. And we remember that God has promised us the best nourishment, as much as we want. God’s promise to us is for our benefit – because God will delight when we will grow into the fruit-producing beings that He made us to be. It all depends if we will let Him nourish us.
So – what did you eat today? What is your body telling you it wants? More importantly, what is your soul telling you it needs? As we continue our journey towards Easter, may we continue our Lenten prayer for strength, perseverance and faith – knowing that God is providing for us the Bread for our Journey.
27 February 2010
LENT 2, 28 Feb 2010
Luke 13:31-35
We have some challenging readings this morning. We have Abraham, who is offered everything he wants, everything God thinks he has missed out on in his life, yet he still has a hard time believing it will happen. And so he challenges God. He doesn’t trust God to deliver on his promise. Our epistle has a similar theme – Paul is challenging those people to live their lives differently. And they seem to resist his promises on God’s behalf. Struggle and mis-trust. What a very human response. We tend to avoid difficult choices, preferring to keep things as they are. Why rock the boat? Who likes conflict, anyway?
Now let’s look at the Gospel. We have some Pharisees running up to Jesus. The Pharisees. What do we know about them? Well, technically, they are a sect of Judaism, they are a political party, they are a social organisation. They are so committed to keeping the Torah’s purity laws, they create additional laws covering the nuances. They are known to us, through Mark’s Gospel, to be the Jews that offer the most opposition to Jesus and his followers. They were so strict in following the rules that they would not eat or socialise with people who did not, as they considered them to be unclean. Other sects of Jews, including the group called “Followers of the Way” – we’ll get back to them – interpreted this behaviour as arrogant, snobby, Stand-off-ish. They started considering the Pharisees to be the Bad Guys, hypocrites, nasty folk that we wouldn’t want to spend time with even if we could. The Pharisees became “Them.” Not as good or holy or smart as “Us.”
And yet – this gospel story opens with the Pharisees. Them. Those people. What do we expect from them when we see them walking up? Criticism, derogatory comments, negativity towards Jesus and his followers. It’s what they normally do. Why should today be any different? Yet here they are, giving Jesus a warning. “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you”. As if to say, “Look, Jesus, friend – I know we don’t always get along. I know we’ve been harsh in the past. We disagree on so many things, and have never really had a chance to chat about what and why, but you know we’d not harm you. But for now, please believe me – your life is in danger! Herod – the bad guy – he’s coming, and it’s not good!”
This is completely unexpected. The Pharisees know Jesus’ teachings have been rocking the boat, which is why Herod wants Him out of the picture. And here they are trying to save him, to aid his continuing in rocking the boat. And Jesus’ reply, that the Pharisees go back and challenge Herod’s authority, confuses them even more. Jesus knows that he has work to continue to do. He is still needing to teach, cast out demons, heal people. So he ignores the warning that he is in danger, and continues working. He even has a bit of a challenge back to Herod, through the Pharisees.
Now, we work very hard to make sure that this type of “he-said-she-said” stuff does NOT happen. It’s called triangulation, and it’s a bad thing. Especially when insults are involved. And to call Herod a fox is indeed an insult. What do foxes do? They invade the henhouse and leave a path of death and destruction. And who does Jesus refer to as the hens? The people of Jerusalem. So his followers and the Pharisees hear him say that Herod will cause death and destruction in Jerusalem with the very people that Jesus is trying to protect and offer motherly, unconditional love to. Jerusalem, the henhouse full of ‘hens’ who are in need of care and nourishment so that they might grow strong, now in danger from a fox. Jesus seems to hint that the people of Jerusalem are so concerned about saving themselves that they are not being true to themselves and true to God. They present whatever is necessary to not ‘rock the boat’ to keep a semblance of peace. That’s why prophets and outsiders are murdered throughout it’s history – their words may disturb the peace, and the people are so spiritually uncertain that they cannot bear the instability.
So Jesus turns to everyone gathered – his followers, the Pharisees, the people he had been teaching – and gives them a challenge. “Your house is left to you.” Basically, he’s saying – “OK folks, what happens next is up to you. You decide if you are going to be a hen, brooded over by my love, and standing up together against the lone fox. Or, if you’re going to sit in your house, afraid. Afraid of everyone who is different, who says things that challenge society. The choice is yours – but you won’t see me – really see who I am and what I’m offering – until you can say ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’.”
So – who do you want to be? Do you want to be a Pharisee, one of them? Do you want to be one of Jesus’ followers, one of us, learning his cryptic teachings and trying to follow them? Do you want to be part of the other sect, the Followers of the Way? Well, over history, all thr groups changed a bit. The Pharisees over time became teachers of the original rules, and are now known to us as the Rabbinic (or Orthodox) Jews. They are our brothers and sisters, with whom we share a history and tradition. Jesus’ followers – well, we know where we ended up. What we may not know is that the critical “Followers of the Way” is us. That was the name Christians went by at the time of Christ. They were the followers of Jesus. They were as critical of the Pharisees as the Pharisees were of them. Early Christians were just as human, just as guilty as everyone else – they got caught up in human challenges, in choosing safety over truth, in inter-personal conflict.
So Jesus’ lesson here is for everyone around him. He’s challenging folks to recognise that they have somehow developed an us-them conflict, and he wants it stopped. He wants people to celebrate the truth of God – HIS truth. Jesus challenges them, as he challenges us, to see that the people we love and the people we dislike are equally beloved by God. That the very nature of creating this us-them conflict takes us away from the all-encompassing parental love that God offers us.
May our Lenten challenge this week be to spend some time reflecting on God’s love for all of us. May we hold within our prayers those people we already love. May we think very deeply on those people we dislike, and see that we dislike their words or actions, but that we can –and are indeed called to - love them as children of God. And then we can receive God’s love, blessing the one who comes in His name. May we have the strength, perseverance, and faith this week to see beyond the boundaries of us-them into a better world of a wider We.
Copyright 2010 LMP
Luke 13:31-35
We have some challenging readings this morning. We have Abraham, who is offered everything he wants, everything God thinks he has missed out on in his life, yet he still has a hard time believing it will happen. And so he challenges God. He doesn’t trust God to deliver on his promise. Our epistle has a similar theme – Paul is challenging those people to live their lives differently. And they seem to resist his promises on God’s behalf. Struggle and mis-trust. What a very human response. We tend to avoid difficult choices, preferring to keep things as they are. Why rock the boat? Who likes conflict, anyway?
Now let’s look at the Gospel. We have some Pharisees running up to Jesus. The Pharisees. What do we know about them? Well, technically, they are a sect of Judaism, they are a political party, they are a social organisation. They are so committed to keeping the Torah’s purity laws, they create additional laws covering the nuances. They are known to us, through Mark’s Gospel, to be the Jews that offer the most opposition to Jesus and his followers. They were so strict in following the rules that they would not eat or socialise with people who did not, as they considered them to be unclean. Other sects of Jews, including the group called “Followers of the Way” – we’ll get back to them – interpreted this behaviour as arrogant, snobby, Stand-off-ish. They started considering the Pharisees to be the Bad Guys, hypocrites, nasty folk that we wouldn’t want to spend time with even if we could. The Pharisees became “Them.” Not as good or holy or smart as “Us.”
And yet – this gospel story opens with the Pharisees. Them. Those people. What do we expect from them when we see them walking up? Criticism, derogatory comments, negativity towards Jesus and his followers. It’s what they normally do. Why should today be any different? Yet here they are, giving Jesus a warning. “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you”. As if to say, “Look, Jesus, friend – I know we don’t always get along. I know we’ve been harsh in the past. We disagree on so many things, and have never really had a chance to chat about what and why, but you know we’d not harm you. But for now, please believe me – your life is in danger! Herod – the bad guy – he’s coming, and it’s not good!”
This is completely unexpected. The Pharisees know Jesus’ teachings have been rocking the boat, which is why Herod wants Him out of the picture. And here they are trying to save him, to aid his continuing in rocking the boat. And Jesus’ reply, that the Pharisees go back and challenge Herod’s authority, confuses them even more. Jesus knows that he has work to continue to do. He is still needing to teach, cast out demons, heal people. So he ignores the warning that he is in danger, and continues working. He even has a bit of a challenge back to Herod, through the Pharisees.
Now, we work very hard to make sure that this type of “he-said-she-said” stuff does NOT happen. It’s called triangulation, and it’s a bad thing. Especially when insults are involved. And to call Herod a fox is indeed an insult. What do foxes do? They invade the henhouse and leave a path of death and destruction. And who does Jesus refer to as the hens? The people of Jerusalem. So his followers and the Pharisees hear him say that Herod will cause death and destruction in Jerusalem with the very people that Jesus is trying to protect and offer motherly, unconditional love to. Jerusalem, the henhouse full of ‘hens’ who are in need of care and nourishment so that they might grow strong, now in danger from a fox. Jesus seems to hint that the people of Jerusalem are so concerned about saving themselves that they are not being true to themselves and true to God. They present whatever is necessary to not ‘rock the boat’ to keep a semblance of peace. That’s why prophets and outsiders are murdered throughout it’s history – their words may disturb the peace, and the people are so spiritually uncertain that they cannot bear the instability.
So Jesus turns to everyone gathered – his followers, the Pharisees, the people he had been teaching – and gives them a challenge. “Your house is left to you.” Basically, he’s saying – “OK folks, what happens next is up to you. You decide if you are going to be a hen, brooded over by my love, and standing up together against the lone fox. Or, if you’re going to sit in your house, afraid. Afraid of everyone who is different, who says things that challenge society. The choice is yours – but you won’t see me – really see who I am and what I’m offering – until you can say ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’.”
So – who do you want to be? Do you want to be a Pharisee, one of them? Do you want to be one of Jesus’ followers, one of us, learning his cryptic teachings and trying to follow them? Do you want to be part of the other sect, the Followers of the Way? Well, over history, all thr groups changed a bit. The Pharisees over time became teachers of the original rules, and are now known to us as the Rabbinic (or Orthodox) Jews. They are our brothers and sisters, with whom we share a history and tradition. Jesus’ followers – well, we know where we ended up. What we may not know is that the critical “Followers of the Way” is us. That was the name Christians went by at the time of Christ. They were the followers of Jesus. They were as critical of the Pharisees as the Pharisees were of them. Early Christians were just as human, just as guilty as everyone else – they got caught up in human challenges, in choosing safety over truth, in inter-personal conflict.
So Jesus’ lesson here is for everyone around him. He’s challenging folks to recognise that they have somehow developed an us-them conflict, and he wants it stopped. He wants people to celebrate the truth of God – HIS truth. Jesus challenges them, as he challenges us, to see that the people we love and the people we dislike are equally beloved by God. That the very nature of creating this us-them conflict takes us away from the all-encompassing parental love that God offers us.
May our Lenten challenge this week be to spend some time reflecting on God’s love for all of us. May we hold within our prayers those people we already love. May we think very deeply on those people we dislike, and see that we dislike their words or actions, but that we can –and are indeed called to - love them as children of God. And then we can receive God’s love, blessing the one who comes in His name. May we have the strength, perseverance, and faith this week to see beyond the boundaries of us-them into a better world of a wider We.
Copyright 2010 LMP
20 February 2010
Temptation...
Sermon on Lent 1
Luke 4:1-13
This past Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, we acknowledged the beginning of Lent. The service reminds us that as we journey toward Easter, we speak of the “frailty and uncertainty” of our lives, and mark “the penitence of the community as a whole.” We are then invited to “observe a Holy Lent by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and by reading and meditating on the word of God.”
The season of Lent is traditionally a time of giving something up – something that has unique and substantial meaning to us as individuals. For some people Lent is a time to focus on giving up bad habits, such as smoking or sweets, for others is it a time to focus on taking on new good habits, such as increased self-care or a new prayer routine. Whatever our Lenten journey is, it is a journey that will change us, ideally, to be more closely in tune with ourselves and with God. It is a time of test and temptation, a time where we recognise our own weaknesses, and lean on others, especially God, for support.
And why do we need this support? To resist temptation. To deny ourselves that piece of cake, to avoid hitting the snooze button instead of getting up early for morning prayer. To do our humanly best to observe this holy season. And yet we find ways to justify our actions when we succumb to temptation. We might justify that piece of cake if we went to the gym. We might skip prayer, believing that it’s more important for us to get those extra 10 minutes of sleep, or promising ourselves that we’ll do evening prayer tonight instead. It’s the temptation, especially when we’re at our spiritual weak point, that is our downfall.
Temptation is defined as “a cause or enticement, often toward evil.” And what better example of this can we find but in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus is going through a time of self-denial. He’s alone in the wilderness, taking time away from the tasks of everyday life to focus on a spiritual journey of prayer, meditation, self-care. He’s fasting, so he is physically weak. And, right on cue, in walks temptation. In the physical form of the Devil. With fantastic promises.
The devil knows that Jesus is hungry, so he tempts him to eat. He appeals to the basic physical need for food, challenging Jesus to turn a stone into a loaf of bread. He likely taunted him, saying things like: ‘It’s exactly what you want. No one is watching, no one will know you’ve done it. It will do your body good – you need the nourishment; it’s hot out here in the desert. Prove to me that you are the Son of God by performing this tiny, easy miracle.’ And yet Jesus refuses to do this simple task.
And so the devil tries a different strategy, pitching temptation to the power agenda, promising the authority in all the kingdoms in the world. ‘Come on, Jesus, you know you want everyone to worship Your Father through you, I can make that happen with the authority you seek. I will give you the glory and authority of all those people – just one tiny detail, you have to worship me – then I will give you all of this, and more.’ And again Jesus refuses.
So the devil tries a third strategy, this time using Scripture as a test, taking Jesus to a challenging location and taunting him to use his supernatural connections – God’s angels – to get him out of the place unharmed. ‘Okay then, Jesus, if you’re as amazing as you think you are, then use the assets given you by your Father and fulfill the Holy Writings. If you don’t, you’re just a guy that says some good stuff, and I am proving that I am better than you are.’ And Jesus again refuses.
The Devil at this point realises that he has been beaten, and so he leaves Jesus for the time being. He recognises that Jesus is not just defying the challenges and refusing his ego, but that Jesus has the strength to follow the scriptures. Jesus uses the scriptures, the Holy Word of God, as the force which grants him authority over the Devil. He doesn’t get into a debate on semantics, he doesn’t engage with the devil about what he personally would prefer. He returns completely to the written word.
He quotes: “One does not live by bread alone” thereby denying his own immediate hunger for the greater good of the whole world. He quotes “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him” and challenges the Devils claim to having authority over the nations. He quotes “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” to make sure that the Devil knows exactly who he is trying to tempt, and that Jesus will not fail.
Jesus is also pointing out to the Devil that he knows that the promises made are, quite simply, too good to be true. The Devil has promised the world for the taking – physical needs, authority, and proof of Divinity – but Jesus knows deep down that even if he wanted to, the Devil could not deliver on these promises. The test of turning a stone to bread is a childish test to determine if Jesus can be easily led astray – and the Devil fails. The offer to give the authority of all the kingdoms is, realistically, false advertising. The Devil fails here because Jesus knows that he is lying, and does not believe such vile tricks. In challenging Jesus to prove his divinity at the threat of personal danger, the Devil fails because Jesus knows that he is a Spiritual Being having a Human experience, and that the soul is stronger than the flesh.
Jesus knows that the Devil will use whatever means necessary to trick Him away from his spiritual journey, and he does not allow that to happen. As we are on our own spiritual journey this Lent, we too must recognise that we will be tempted as well. We will be tempted, at our weakest moments, to choose our personal preferences over the larger spiritual goal. We will be tempted by untruths that seem, on the surface, to be meeting our spiritual goals, but we will know deep down that the promise is too good to be true, and thus recognise that it isn’t true. We will be tempted to prefer physical comforts over spiritual growth. May we be as eloquent as Jesus when we rebuke the Devil and refuse these temptations.
We know – as Jesus did – that the Devil will use whatever tools He can find to try and pull us away from our Lenten journey. Just as our Lenten fast is private and unique to each of us, so will the temptations we face be ‘tailor-made’ to challenge us the most. Our victory, like that of Christ, will be when we remain firm to our faith and strong to our practices, and thus – like Jesus – cast aside the Devil and his pathetic attempts to separate us from the love and joy of God. And so, as we enter the first full week of this journey, may our prayer again be for strength, perseverance and faith as we walk the path toward Easter.
Copyright 2010 LMP
Luke 4:1-13
This past Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, we acknowledged the beginning of Lent. The service reminds us that as we journey toward Easter, we speak of the “frailty and uncertainty” of our lives, and mark “the penitence of the community as a whole.” We are then invited to “observe a Holy Lent by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and by reading and meditating on the word of God.”
The season of Lent is traditionally a time of giving something up – something that has unique and substantial meaning to us as individuals. For some people Lent is a time to focus on giving up bad habits, such as smoking or sweets, for others is it a time to focus on taking on new good habits, such as increased self-care or a new prayer routine. Whatever our Lenten journey is, it is a journey that will change us, ideally, to be more closely in tune with ourselves and with God. It is a time of test and temptation, a time where we recognise our own weaknesses, and lean on others, especially God, for support.
And why do we need this support? To resist temptation. To deny ourselves that piece of cake, to avoid hitting the snooze button instead of getting up early for morning prayer. To do our humanly best to observe this holy season. And yet we find ways to justify our actions when we succumb to temptation. We might justify that piece of cake if we went to the gym. We might skip prayer, believing that it’s more important for us to get those extra 10 minutes of sleep, or promising ourselves that we’ll do evening prayer tonight instead. It’s the temptation, especially when we’re at our spiritual weak point, that is our downfall.
Temptation is defined as “a cause or enticement, often toward evil.” And what better example of this can we find but in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus is going through a time of self-denial. He’s alone in the wilderness, taking time away from the tasks of everyday life to focus on a spiritual journey of prayer, meditation, self-care. He’s fasting, so he is physically weak. And, right on cue, in walks temptation. In the physical form of the Devil. With fantastic promises.
The devil knows that Jesus is hungry, so he tempts him to eat. He appeals to the basic physical need for food, challenging Jesus to turn a stone into a loaf of bread. He likely taunted him, saying things like: ‘It’s exactly what you want. No one is watching, no one will know you’ve done it. It will do your body good – you need the nourishment; it’s hot out here in the desert. Prove to me that you are the Son of God by performing this tiny, easy miracle.’ And yet Jesus refuses to do this simple task.
And so the devil tries a different strategy, pitching temptation to the power agenda, promising the authority in all the kingdoms in the world. ‘Come on, Jesus, you know you want everyone to worship Your Father through you, I can make that happen with the authority you seek. I will give you the glory and authority of all those people – just one tiny detail, you have to worship me – then I will give you all of this, and more.’ And again Jesus refuses.
So the devil tries a third strategy, this time using Scripture as a test, taking Jesus to a challenging location and taunting him to use his supernatural connections – God’s angels – to get him out of the place unharmed. ‘Okay then, Jesus, if you’re as amazing as you think you are, then use the assets given you by your Father and fulfill the Holy Writings. If you don’t, you’re just a guy that says some good stuff, and I am proving that I am better than you are.’ And Jesus again refuses.
The Devil at this point realises that he has been beaten, and so he leaves Jesus for the time being. He recognises that Jesus is not just defying the challenges and refusing his ego, but that Jesus has the strength to follow the scriptures. Jesus uses the scriptures, the Holy Word of God, as the force which grants him authority over the Devil. He doesn’t get into a debate on semantics, he doesn’t engage with the devil about what he personally would prefer. He returns completely to the written word.
He quotes: “One does not live by bread alone” thereby denying his own immediate hunger for the greater good of the whole world. He quotes “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him” and challenges the Devils claim to having authority over the nations. He quotes “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” to make sure that the Devil knows exactly who he is trying to tempt, and that Jesus will not fail.
Jesus is also pointing out to the Devil that he knows that the promises made are, quite simply, too good to be true. The Devil has promised the world for the taking – physical needs, authority, and proof of Divinity – but Jesus knows deep down that even if he wanted to, the Devil could not deliver on these promises. The test of turning a stone to bread is a childish test to determine if Jesus can be easily led astray – and the Devil fails. The offer to give the authority of all the kingdoms is, realistically, false advertising. The Devil fails here because Jesus knows that he is lying, and does not believe such vile tricks. In challenging Jesus to prove his divinity at the threat of personal danger, the Devil fails because Jesus knows that he is a Spiritual Being having a Human experience, and that the soul is stronger than the flesh.
Jesus knows that the Devil will use whatever means necessary to trick Him away from his spiritual journey, and he does not allow that to happen. As we are on our own spiritual journey this Lent, we too must recognise that we will be tempted as well. We will be tempted, at our weakest moments, to choose our personal preferences over the larger spiritual goal. We will be tempted by untruths that seem, on the surface, to be meeting our spiritual goals, but we will know deep down that the promise is too good to be true, and thus recognise that it isn’t true. We will be tempted to prefer physical comforts over spiritual growth. May we be as eloquent as Jesus when we rebuke the Devil and refuse these temptations.
We know – as Jesus did – that the Devil will use whatever tools He can find to try and pull us away from our Lenten journey. Just as our Lenten fast is private and unique to each of us, so will the temptations we face be ‘tailor-made’ to challenge us the most. Our victory, like that of Christ, will be when we remain firm to our faith and strong to our practices, and thus – like Jesus – cast aside the Devil and his pathetic attempts to separate us from the love and joy of God. And so, as we enter the first full week of this journey, may our prayer again be for strength, perseverance and faith as we walk the path toward Easter.
Copyright 2010 LMP
13 February 2010
Aspiring to Greatness
Feast of the Transfiguration
Luke 9:28-43
I’m willing to bet that each and every one of us has had at least one moment where we thought that the world was perfect, that there was no way it could ever get better. These are the moments that words cannot fully describe – because they are so significant, so emotional, so truly amazing. These perfect moments are ones we try to hold on to, to keep with us. And we know that it is burned into our hearts and memories and is integral to everything else we will ever do – because it is, for us, that moment when we feel closest to our creator, and as a result we have been changed.
Throughout history, there have been significant moments like these that we share as a culture. These “flashbulb” moments, which, to be fair, may need to be renamed soon as modern technology changes so much so that younger generations have no idea what a flashbulb is. But we have those times when time seems to stand still and we are simply in awe. In our living memory, we have the first view of earth from space, the first moon landing, the mapping of the human genome, the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, - the list goes on. The world right now is gathered around such perfect moments in sports – we celebrate our Olympic athletes, sharing their moments as they perform tremendous acts in an effort for that podium moment. And let’s be honest – we’re all hoping to share in a podium moment with Jon Montgomery this week!
Take a minute to think about your own perfect moment or moments. Whatever it is that made your heart swell in the instant of being fully human - a wedding, a birth, whatever – think about that moment of greatness. Were you alone? Probably not. Whatever your moment is, undoubtedly there were other people involved – in the moment itself as well as in the lead up to that moment. For, as with anything great, it takes determination and effort to get there. There has to be a build-up and preparation. For the great moments in history, there have been countless scientists, philosophers, engineers, professors, etc. involved. For our athletes, there have been years of trainers and nutritionists and doctors. For us individuals, there have been family members, friends, and neighbours. There is no moment of greatness without time spent in community.
And yet – it all culminates in that high point. That second of perfection – and this is the time that we try to keep forever. This is why we have photographs and videos of our life’s events, this is why we keep mementos of such events. We want to hold onto that moment of greatness. That moment is as good as it gets; and if we could we might want to live in that bliss forever.
This is exactly what’s happening with the disciples in this morning’s gospel. Peter and John and James are going out with Jesus to pray. This is not an unusual occurrence. But it does start almost as though we’re in the middle of the story. The gospel starts with “Now about eight days after these sayings…”. If we read back a bit, we discover that the gospel is referring to Jesus having foretold his death and resurrection. The disciples at this point were probably thinking that they had no idea when or what to expect from Jesus. Jesus – their great religious teacher, their friend, their companion – has told them that he will die, and come back to life. It sounds odd, and to be fair, weird. Unheard of. Impossible. Can you imagine what the disciples are thinking? Maybe Jesus has been under a lot of stress and needs a break, or maybe he’s embellishing when speaking of his gifts and skills, or some other logical explanation. But to die and come back to life? What crazy talk!
And then for a few days nothing abnormal happens, things seem to be calming down again. The disciples must be feeling a bit better about how things are going – no more random talk of death and new life, just teachings and healings and now some quiet prayer time. How lovely – just the way things used to be.
And then – suddenly and unexpectedly – the disciples see Jesus in a new way – they see his face glowing, and his clothes a dazzling white! As though the very presence of light was coming from within him, all during the time when he prays. Miraculous. And – shocking – Jesus is no longer alone. He is with two other people, who are also looking unnaturally glowing and glorious. It doesn’t take too long for Peter to recognise these men as Moses and Elijah – because these were the heroes of the day. These were the persons from history that were used as examples of greatness. As people would gather they were told the stories of Elijah and Moses, and how God favoured them, and how their lives were altered because of their great faith, and of the wondrous things that were accomplished by them, and how they prove the greatness of God active in the world. Moses and Elijah! Standing there, with Jesus! What a perfect moment.
All Peter wants is to keep that moment alive – to hold it firm, to maintain it. This may be one of the perfect moments of his life. And so, trying to offer hospitality and act appropriately, he suggests that three dwellings be made – really, one cannot allow the greatest people in one’s history to stay outside without event a house to call home! Peter is excited, he is overcome with emotion, and he is savouring the moment. So his offer to build is simply him blurting out an idea, with the best of intentions, with a significant amount of energy and enthusiasm.
Obviously, the moment cannot last, and so building structures on the mountain is not feasible. Reflecting on it, building homes for Moses and Elijah is not really going to work, as they are not of this world; and Jesus will soon be dead and raised, so a house is not the most important thing he needs. And Peter must have known that at some deep level. And God’s response to Peter is not a rebuke but a gentle reminder of what is really important in this scenario – Jesus’ words. God speaks to Peter with infinite patience, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” And Peter understands.
God’s message to Peter is to live in the here and the now. We must not get caught up trying to hold too tightly to the past, but we must celebrate the present and be aware of the future. If we get tied down to how things used to be, of just one moment, then we become stagnant, and we will not move forward. Jesus’ transfiguration was a perfect moment, but it was not his only moment. It was the moment when the disciples saw him in a very different way – and that influenced their actions for the rest of His – and their - lives.
With that new perspective, and confirmation from God that Jesus is God’s Son, the disciples now recognized that his speaking of death and resurrection was not weird and unnatural, but that it was Jesus preparing them for their own futures, and for the future of the world. Jesus’ transfiguration changed not just his physical appearance for a short time, but the disciples’ lives and ministries. They took that perfect moment, remembered it, and had their lives changed as a result.
The people that Jesus meets immediately following the mountaintop experience, however, do not see that a perfect moment has taken place – they do not recognise a change. They simply see the person of Jesus back in town, and bring to this famous healer someone else in need of his work. Their sight is still limited and unchanged. Jesus uses this as another teaching moment for his disciples. With astounding patience, he replies to the man that he is of a “faithless and perverse generation”, one that does not recognise him for who he truly is. This demonstrates that some people will get caught up in the moment, and only use tunnel vision for their own needs. The man wants his son physically healed, and he knows of Jesus’ reputation as a healer. He is searching for an immediate casting out of a demon by an expert. The message to the disciples and all true believers, however, is that true faith will continue to heal even without the presence of the person of Jesus. This message is incredibly important, especially to the disciples, who have just realised that their time with Jesus is limited.
And before anyone could learn from this that they ought to only serve those with great faith, Jesus shows his ultimate compassion and the truth of his being. He tells the man, “Bring your son here” and then heals the boy. The man has had his physical needs met, whether or not he learns the message of true spiritual health through faith. The disciples see the miracle of the physical healing as well as the miracle of the spiritual promise, thus proving that they truly understand why Jesus has been shown to the transfigured.
The disciples’ perspectives have been radically changed because of their perfect moments. They are wise enough to see the change for what it is, and to apply the new perspectives to their ministries, to better them. Think back again to your own perfect moment. Let the joy of that moment live in you, and always be aware of how your perspectives have been changed as a result. God gave you that perfect moment, that miracle, so that you too could see your personal closeness to God, and to use that closeness to be a gift to the world around you. Be astounded at the greatness of God. Take the blessing of that moment and see it as a dazzling light within yourself – then “Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Copyright 2010 LMP
Luke 9:28-43
I’m willing to bet that each and every one of us has had at least one moment where we thought that the world was perfect, that there was no way it could ever get better. These are the moments that words cannot fully describe – because they are so significant, so emotional, so truly amazing. These perfect moments are ones we try to hold on to, to keep with us. And we know that it is burned into our hearts and memories and is integral to everything else we will ever do – because it is, for us, that moment when we feel closest to our creator, and as a result we have been changed.
Throughout history, there have been significant moments like these that we share as a culture. These “flashbulb” moments, which, to be fair, may need to be renamed soon as modern technology changes so much so that younger generations have no idea what a flashbulb is. But we have those times when time seems to stand still and we are simply in awe. In our living memory, we have the first view of earth from space, the first moon landing, the mapping of the human genome, the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, - the list goes on. The world right now is gathered around such perfect moments in sports – we celebrate our Olympic athletes, sharing their moments as they perform tremendous acts in an effort for that podium moment. And let’s be honest – we’re all hoping to share in a podium moment with Jon Montgomery this week!
Take a minute to think about your own perfect moment or moments. Whatever it is that made your heart swell in the instant of being fully human - a wedding, a birth, whatever – think about that moment of greatness. Were you alone? Probably not. Whatever your moment is, undoubtedly there were other people involved – in the moment itself as well as in the lead up to that moment. For, as with anything great, it takes determination and effort to get there. There has to be a build-up and preparation. For the great moments in history, there have been countless scientists, philosophers, engineers, professors, etc. involved. For our athletes, there have been years of trainers and nutritionists and doctors. For us individuals, there have been family members, friends, and neighbours. There is no moment of greatness without time spent in community.
And yet – it all culminates in that high point. That second of perfection – and this is the time that we try to keep forever. This is why we have photographs and videos of our life’s events, this is why we keep mementos of such events. We want to hold onto that moment of greatness. That moment is as good as it gets; and if we could we might want to live in that bliss forever.
This is exactly what’s happening with the disciples in this morning’s gospel. Peter and John and James are going out with Jesus to pray. This is not an unusual occurrence. But it does start almost as though we’re in the middle of the story. The gospel starts with “Now about eight days after these sayings…”. If we read back a bit, we discover that the gospel is referring to Jesus having foretold his death and resurrection. The disciples at this point were probably thinking that they had no idea when or what to expect from Jesus. Jesus – their great religious teacher, their friend, their companion – has told them that he will die, and come back to life. It sounds odd, and to be fair, weird. Unheard of. Impossible. Can you imagine what the disciples are thinking? Maybe Jesus has been under a lot of stress and needs a break, or maybe he’s embellishing when speaking of his gifts and skills, or some other logical explanation. But to die and come back to life? What crazy talk!
And then for a few days nothing abnormal happens, things seem to be calming down again. The disciples must be feeling a bit better about how things are going – no more random talk of death and new life, just teachings and healings and now some quiet prayer time. How lovely – just the way things used to be.
And then – suddenly and unexpectedly – the disciples see Jesus in a new way – they see his face glowing, and his clothes a dazzling white! As though the very presence of light was coming from within him, all during the time when he prays. Miraculous. And – shocking – Jesus is no longer alone. He is with two other people, who are also looking unnaturally glowing and glorious. It doesn’t take too long for Peter to recognise these men as Moses and Elijah – because these were the heroes of the day. These were the persons from history that were used as examples of greatness. As people would gather they were told the stories of Elijah and Moses, and how God favoured them, and how their lives were altered because of their great faith, and of the wondrous things that were accomplished by them, and how they prove the greatness of God active in the world. Moses and Elijah! Standing there, with Jesus! What a perfect moment.
All Peter wants is to keep that moment alive – to hold it firm, to maintain it. This may be one of the perfect moments of his life. And so, trying to offer hospitality and act appropriately, he suggests that three dwellings be made – really, one cannot allow the greatest people in one’s history to stay outside without event a house to call home! Peter is excited, he is overcome with emotion, and he is savouring the moment. So his offer to build is simply him blurting out an idea, with the best of intentions, with a significant amount of energy and enthusiasm.
Obviously, the moment cannot last, and so building structures on the mountain is not feasible. Reflecting on it, building homes for Moses and Elijah is not really going to work, as they are not of this world; and Jesus will soon be dead and raised, so a house is not the most important thing he needs. And Peter must have known that at some deep level. And God’s response to Peter is not a rebuke but a gentle reminder of what is really important in this scenario – Jesus’ words. God speaks to Peter with infinite patience, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” And Peter understands.
God’s message to Peter is to live in the here and the now. We must not get caught up trying to hold too tightly to the past, but we must celebrate the present and be aware of the future. If we get tied down to how things used to be, of just one moment, then we become stagnant, and we will not move forward. Jesus’ transfiguration was a perfect moment, but it was not his only moment. It was the moment when the disciples saw him in a very different way – and that influenced their actions for the rest of His – and their - lives.
With that new perspective, and confirmation from God that Jesus is God’s Son, the disciples now recognized that his speaking of death and resurrection was not weird and unnatural, but that it was Jesus preparing them for their own futures, and for the future of the world. Jesus’ transfiguration changed not just his physical appearance for a short time, but the disciples’ lives and ministries. They took that perfect moment, remembered it, and had their lives changed as a result.
The people that Jesus meets immediately following the mountaintop experience, however, do not see that a perfect moment has taken place – they do not recognise a change. They simply see the person of Jesus back in town, and bring to this famous healer someone else in need of his work. Their sight is still limited and unchanged. Jesus uses this as another teaching moment for his disciples. With astounding patience, he replies to the man that he is of a “faithless and perverse generation”, one that does not recognise him for who he truly is. This demonstrates that some people will get caught up in the moment, and only use tunnel vision for their own needs. The man wants his son physically healed, and he knows of Jesus’ reputation as a healer. He is searching for an immediate casting out of a demon by an expert. The message to the disciples and all true believers, however, is that true faith will continue to heal even without the presence of the person of Jesus. This message is incredibly important, especially to the disciples, who have just realised that their time with Jesus is limited.
And before anyone could learn from this that they ought to only serve those with great faith, Jesus shows his ultimate compassion and the truth of his being. He tells the man, “Bring your son here” and then heals the boy. The man has had his physical needs met, whether or not he learns the message of true spiritual health through faith. The disciples see the miracle of the physical healing as well as the miracle of the spiritual promise, thus proving that they truly understand why Jesus has been shown to the transfigured.
The disciples’ perspectives have been radically changed because of their perfect moments. They are wise enough to see the change for what it is, and to apply the new perspectives to their ministries, to better them. Think back again to your own perfect moment. Let the joy of that moment live in you, and always be aware of how your perspectives have been changed as a result. God gave you that perfect moment, that miracle, so that you too could see your personal closeness to God, and to use that closeness to be a gift to the world around you. Be astounded at the greatness of God. Take the blessing of that moment and see it as a dazzling light within yourself – then “Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Copyright 2010 LMP
07 February 2010
Convictions (sermon, 07 Feb 2010)
CONVICTIONS
What are your convictions? What are those things that seem to make up the very essence of who you are? We all have them – those things that seem to set our hearts on fire, to stir up our souls. Those beliefs that we know are completely unique, based on our own individual experiences and histories, but that we still want to share with everyone we meet. They are like coloured threads that make up who and what we are – threads weaving into unique patterns and textures, threads that weave together to make the fabric of who we are.
So what are those threads like for you? And how do they show themselves to the world around you? I believe that who we are at our core will show itself very clearly – it’s so real that it cannot be hidden. It is like a light that shines from within. Our threads, our light, may have to do with our families, our employment, our homes, our friends, our volunteering, our pets – anything that we care about deeply will be it’s own thread, making up part of our fabric.
Our fabrics themselves are going to be unique and ever changing. Many cultures around the world share stories in the unique weaves of their fabrics, with each colour and design having a distinct meaning. Messages can be passed by unique fabrics (as with Kentee cloth in Ghana), communities are identified (such as Scottish clans), even social status can be articulated (in Biblical times only kings could wear purple).
So – your threads, your convictions - how strong are they? What would you be willing to give up in order to maintain them? In our scripture today, we hear about the conviction of Isaiah. “Here I am! Send me!” Isaiah is not simply asking for a nice vacation, a simple journey, though his eagerness does seem to suggest a positive trip. The Lord is seeking someone with the strength and conviction to give up all that they have established in their community, to go forth and spread God’s message.
Likewise, in the gospel, the disciples (after finally catching enough fish to support their families) are leaving the lives they know to venture into the unknown. They are so convinced of the power of Jesus that they leave the food to rot or be stolen by strangers, they leave their families without immediate care (a considerable taboo in those days), they even abandon their boat, the very tool needed for their trade. All because of their convictions. They must have known that with Jesus, the challenge to follow him was not a short-term folly, but a long-term commitment.
The messages this morning are of strong threads, of strong convictions. Similarly, OUR story is one of strong convictions as well. We have just entered a new venture as a new wider parish grouping. We are putting our faith in God to see us through this journey, just as the Isaiah went forth with his sin blotted out, just as the disciples walked away from the fishes. We are leaving behind the way things used to be, and moving forward with trust. The disciples were open to new possibilities, in casting out their nets that one more time. With that act of faith, they were rewarded with an overabundance. With faith comes surprises!
Our faith, in this new parish grouping, is our strongest thread. It is what will bind us together, it is what will be the basis of our work as a family. Each of us is bringing to this family a unique thread – each of us is contributing to the weave; each of our threads is necessary to make it a success. With faith, together we will weave a new net – strong, durable, welcoming and inviting. For, as Jesus indicates, as his followers, we should move forward without being afraid, ready to catch people – for His sake.
Together – let’s go fishing.
Amen.
Copyright 2010 LMP
What are your convictions? What are those things that seem to make up the very essence of who you are? We all have them – those things that seem to set our hearts on fire, to stir up our souls. Those beliefs that we know are completely unique, based on our own individual experiences and histories, but that we still want to share with everyone we meet. They are like coloured threads that make up who and what we are – threads weaving into unique patterns and textures, threads that weave together to make the fabric of who we are.
So what are those threads like for you? And how do they show themselves to the world around you? I believe that who we are at our core will show itself very clearly – it’s so real that it cannot be hidden. It is like a light that shines from within. Our threads, our light, may have to do with our families, our employment, our homes, our friends, our volunteering, our pets – anything that we care about deeply will be it’s own thread, making up part of our fabric.
Our fabrics themselves are going to be unique and ever changing. Many cultures around the world share stories in the unique weaves of their fabrics, with each colour and design having a distinct meaning. Messages can be passed by unique fabrics (as with Kentee cloth in Ghana), communities are identified (such as Scottish clans), even social status can be articulated (in Biblical times only kings could wear purple).
So – your threads, your convictions - how strong are they? What would you be willing to give up in order to maintain them? In our scripture today, we hear about the conviction of Isaiah. “Here I am! Send me!” Isaiah is not simply asking for a nice vacation, a simple journey, though his eagerness does seem to suggest a positive trip. The Lord is seeking someone with the strength and conviction to give up all that they have established in their community, to go forth and spread God’s message.
Likewise, in the gospel, the disciples (after finally catching enough fish to support their families) are leaving the lives they know to venture into the unknown. They are so convinced of the power of Jesus that they leave the food to rot or be stolen by strangers, they leave their families without immediate care (a considerable taboo in those days), they even abandon their boat, the very tool needed for their trade. All because of their convictions. They must have known that with Jesus, the challenge to follow him was not a short-term folly, but a long-term commitment.
The messages this morning are of strong threads, of strong convictions. Similarly, OUR story is one of strong convictions as well. We have just entered a new venture as a new wider parish grouping. We are putting our faith in God to see us through this journey, just as the Isaiah went forth with his sin blotted out, just as the disciples walked away from the fishes. We are leaving behind the way things used to be, and moving forward with trust. The disciples were open to new possibilities, in casting out their nets that one more time. With that act of faith, they were rewarded with an overabundance. With faith comes surprises!
Our faith, in this new parish grouping, is our strongest thread. It is what will bind us together, it is what will be the basis of our work as a family. Each of us is bringing to this family a unique thread – each of us is contributing to the weave; each of our threads is necessary to make it a success. With faith, together we will weave a new net – strong, durable, welcoming and inviting. For, as Jesus indicates, as his followers, we should move forward without being afraid, ready to catch people – for His sake.
Together – let’s go fishing.
Amen.
Copyright 2010 LMP
03 February 2010
I know the coolest people...
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/detour/its-in-his-nature-83137162.html
01 January 2010
The 2009 New Year’s Letter!
… And back by popular demand, my yearly update! I had been tempted to not write one of these this year as the funny quotes list is VERY short, but when I mentioned that to a few friends, I got stares as though I had suggested cutting off people’s left feet for fun. So here goes.
2009 started out well – I was visiting the family in Winnipeg, relaxing, etc. The first three months of the year were a time of discernment – I was beginning to believe that my time at the Ascension was just about over (for me personally as well as financially for the parish), I was enjoying teaching again at Niagara University, and I was finally getting some work done on my Masters of Theology thesis, and continuing to serve HMCS Star as Padre. Kate came to visit in early March for the church’s Lorne Elliott show (hysterically funny), and we had a great weekend! Barrett stopped by on his road trip, so we got to have much fun, do winery tours, etc.
April was time for significant change for me… Easter Vigil (or Holy Saturday) is normally my favourite service in the church year. This year, however, it was not. In the middle of my sermon, I passed out. Over the next 24 hours, I had 3 more episodes which landed me in hospital for 9 days. After substantial testing and poking and prodding (spinal tap = hell), it was determined that I had had a series of minor strokes or TIAs (Transient Ischemic Attacks). I was really blessed to have some amazing folks helping to look after me in those days, I know how blessed I am to have been upheld by folks from church, PWRDF, the Navy, the university, etc. It was terrifying to have lost chunks of memory and communication skills, and I have worked very hard to get back as much as possible (and continue to struggle from time to time, but “thing” is no longer the majority of my vocabulary, TBTG). The cause of these problems was an accumulation of factors: one of my medications was a tad high, which led to some minor blood clots forming; my genetics predispose me to high cholesterol, and with the mounting stress from work, I was just full of blood clots. As Jean said (when she flew over, yes I was that ill), it had been a while since I’d had a health crisis, so she figured I was due.
During this time, things were going very poorly at the church, and though I tried to return to work after only a few days out of hospital, the bishop intervened at the Ascension in May. This was a very good thing for all people involved. I was put back on medical leave (a VERY good decision) with the understanding that I would not be returning to my position there. The bishop has changed all the staff at the church, in order to cut down financial burdens and other challenges – which is a great decision, and I am happy to see the parish starting to re-grow itself and ideally start to heal. It was, however, a very difficult time, and I respect and appreciate the bishop’s insight and actions. Bishop Michael has been a fantastic support for me this year.
There were a couple of fantastic things in May, however, to make me giggle and grin like an idiot. On May 12, Veronica and Mike delivered a beautiful little boy, Ethan Samuel. Not that I’m at all biased, but he’s gorgeous! A few weeks later, May 28, Kieran became a big brother as Evan and Stacy delivered Payton Elizabeth who is also gorgeous. I really like being an Auntie!!
The rest of the summer was fairly non-eventful. I spent a lot of time in a stroke rehab program, and sitting on the porch reading and drinking lemonade. With my adjusted medication and new cholesterol meds, I received a clean bill of health, and recognition that the stroke activity was a fluke – my doctor says I’m more likely to be hit by lightning than to have this type of thing happen again. My ability to return to work, however, meant that I started unemployment and job searching. Being an Anglican priest really is a niche market! Catriona visited for a few days which were fun (but tiring), I also spent 2 weeks in Winnipeg, seeing people, meeting Payton, and attending the weddings of Liz and Andy, and Katie and Gordon.
The fall brought with it some new structure. The job search continued, but I also had Navy commitments, teaching, and my volunteer work to keep me busy. PWRDF is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, so I helped to organise a diocesan celebration in September. We had our semi-annual Board meetings in October, and I was blessed to serve as Chaplain to the first year of the 50 Leaders program, with an orientation weekend in November. I also started serving as an honorary assistant at the church where I’ve been worshipping, St. John’s (in Ancaster). It’s really a great community, we have a lot of fun, and my time there is fantastic. October brought more happy baby news, as Mark and Lori delivered Mason Fraser, a tiny adorable little goober! (Yes, I like babies…) I was blessed to become the Godmother to Ethan Samuel on 01 November. (Yup, I cried. Of course.) I also finally getting back enough of my brain to start work on the thesis again – yikes. I will finish this stupid thing!
The biggest news of the fall is the next big change – I was interviewed for a parish out in the Diocese of Brandon (western Manitoba). It was a 4-day visit/interview, and I fell in love with the area, the people, and the possibilities. And, let’s be honest – 180 degree sunsets and no smog. Heaven. I was thrilled to accept the bishop’s offer to serve as rector of that parish, starting 01 Feb 2010. This means that I’ve spent much of December packing my house, cleaning, trying to sell the place, and preparing for goodbyes! I’m off to a week-long retreat on the 15th, and then it will be an interesting 4-day drive out with the dogs… and ideally good weather and no moose!
So, 2009 was not really a fantastic year, but it has ended on an upswing. I was very happy to be with some good friends to toast the end of the year, and close that chapter of my life. I know I would not have gotten through this past year without the help of so many good friends and chosen family (you know who you are!). Here’s cheers to 2010 being a great year!
Some of my favourite memories and quotes of ’09:
• Checking out the Dead Sea Scrolls (and Ten Commandments), and Book of the Dead at the ROM
• “Mmm, Tasty Fungus!”
• Sleeping in on a Sunday morning
• Nativity Scene Cartoon bubbles
• “It looks like Mary’s doing something indecent there! … I mean, she must have dropped an earring – in his lap…”
• Salvation Monkey Pants
• Hymns sung in Donald Duck’s voice
• “Laura Marie, they’re not stalking you.” “Yes, David, they ARE.”
• Evan actually going out to buy more Doritos for Stacy and I
• Wii
• “Stunned” (Dan!!)
• Mary ‘skiing’ behind Bailey
• The Member’s “Terrace” at the Shaw
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