Fourth Sunday of Easter - Identity.

 Thanksgiving for Baptism - Sunday May 8th, 2022 - parsonage backyard Halifax

Identity.

 

Identity is important. One doesn’t have to look very far to see that identity matters; names matter. Identifying as a member of a community and being heard and valued and included matters.

 

Jesus responds to the crowd’s question of identity by saying, ‘he and the Father are one.’

Revelation identifies Christ as ‘lamb’ – the form of the word literally refers to the cute woolly cuddly baby lambs. In the Easter texts read from Revelation the image of Christ bobs between images of strength and weakness.

The Acts reading mentions several instances of people with double names: Tabitha or Dorcas, Peter also known as Simon. In the Easter narrative name changing gives an image of lived resurrection. People are changed by Jesus’ identity; by Jesus’ death and resurrection.

 

Identity matters.

 

This sermon was going in a different direction earlier this week and then life situations changed it --- well changed me.

 

For 24 years of ordained ministry, I have created and crafted an identity --- one I kind of like. I identify myself as put together, competent, organized, responsible, and strong. I strive to live as faithful, authentic, and engaged. I identify ministry and the ability to pastor as an expression of God’s grace.  I take care of myself spiritually, mentally, and physically. Of course, I am a rule follower with the expectation that following the rules gets me further ahead in the end and diminishes potential drama.

 

For the first time in 24 years, I am not presiding at in-person Sunday service due to illness.

The situation of reno-viction has come to my door via family. Pre-planning and following the rules did not stop drama and chaos; nor did it keep COVID from entering the household.

All of this plays on my mind and pokes fingers at my understanding of my identity. Poking fingers means the insertion of doubt into the identity I have so carefully constructed.

Are you really strong? Are you really engaged: if you had been more engaged drama could have been avoided? What about those ungracious thoughts over the past few days, less than put-together emotions, and the disappointment of ending a career goal of a record of ‘no-sick-Sundays.’ This is just a sampling of the barrage of questions: who do you think you are? Who are you?

Do not worry, I am okay. It has just been a difficult week and a half. Tomorrow none of this is going to matter as much; it probably won’t matter as much by the time I preach the words I am currently writing… and now sharing.

 

Who we think we are matters. Who we created ourselves to be matters. Who we are matters.

 

And this is where the scripture for today speaks to me – reflecting on Jesus’ identity allows me to be kinder to myself.

The image of Jesus presented in Revelation is not the strong guiding shepherd, who is the protector, rule-maker, the one responsible; no, Jesus is identified as the cuddly woolly lamb – beautiful in weakness and in its need.

In Acts the name changes remind me that -although my name didn’t change at baptism- I was named ‘child of God.’ I am reminded that identity can change and grow – be resurrected. It reminds me that I was named ‘child of God’ despite whatever identity develops over the years.

 

As a child the majority of people who knew me called me Kim; in grade 3 my homeroom teacher called me Kimmy – for the record I hated that; in the final year of high school, thanks to the insistence of boyfriend, friends called me Kimberlynn; at university our residence list went through the computer printer crooked and all that they had for me was Kimber – that is what I have been called since then. With each name change, my identity changed too – I was resurrected into a new me.  I have a 50^th birthday coming up and that too will change how I identify myself.

 

Today I am full of gratitude for being part of a community of faith, a community who welcomes people as people – with quirks, and quarks, weak and strong; a community where people are baptized and named ‘child of God;’ a community who identifies itself as an Easter people.  The church name even says it – there is no guessing – the community identity is Resurrection.

 

I hold on to this today; I will claim it as my current intention for creating and crafting my identity moving forward – resurrection -

May it be mine and yours and work through us, for the healing of the world.

 

Amen.