A Sermon for Lent 2

LENT 2B-2015

The news from Thursday February 28, 2015.  The top two stories of the day:  Llama drama and #thedress.

And almost hidden in the Chronicle Herald, on page A14, backside of page, there was an article entitled, “Activists: Syrian Christian abductions increase to 220.”  The article out of Beirut reports that the abduction of Syrian Christians has risen to 220 persons in the past 3 days; it mentions the killing of members of religious minorities, driving others from their homes, enslaving women and destroying houses of worship; along with the smashing of ancient antiquities and artifacts for being consider idols; a byline reminds readers of the 21 Egyptian Christians beheaded not so long ago.  This news gives one a chill, and given any thought is extremely disturbing and unsettling. 

The llama drama is hilarious. Two llamas run wild through the streets after getting away from their caretakers.  They dodge cars and people.  Carefree. It is the kind of news clip that goes at the end of a broadcast; it is the news casters way of levity after the brutality of other events.  It is a secular version of the Good News. 

The story actually was good news once the story of the llamas was told: the llamas were therapy animals who managed to run away while on a service mission. The llamas are trained to go to schools, nursing homes, live-in institutions, to help students and residents cope with emotions. Therapy llamas help reduce stress, bring comfort, build esteem and a sense of love, and confer a positive energy.

The pic of #thedress went viral. It was a picture that came with controversy.  Some viewed the dress as blue and black, others as white and gold.  Which was it? Optometric specialists later explained that the pic was taken in the perfect light that had the dress shown in an in between state of shadow and light – perfect for the phenomenon experienced where contrasts are read by varying eyes with varying conclusions. No ones’ eyes were wrong. It did lead to tonnes of conversation and questions about who was right, and what colour the actual dress really was.  It was a simple mystery and a place for the imagination to run wild.

There is no happiness or trick of the eye, or factoid to learn in the news of Syrian Christian abductions.  There is no pithy ending to the article, or news report…it just is and it just sits there.  Most just cover over it, distract the mind as a coping mechanism for a fear and problem that seems way out of our control. We can’t let the chill settle in too deep or let our innards unravel from being disturbed or unsettled; better to guess at a dress colour and laugh at llamas.

This morning Jesus announces to the disciples breaking news:  he is going to undergo great suffering – not just a cold or a hang nail, serious suffering; he is going to be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes – not good to be on the outs with your own people when the ruling power doesn’t need much of an excuse to arrest and torture – and yes Jesus quite openly broadcasts that it is not going to end the way the disciples want this rebellion, moment of force, and movement of power to take shape – no it is going to end in Jesus’ death, period.  Peter tries to push the news to the back pages of section A, to colour it over, better yet to pull Jesus aside and try to have his words retracted from the record; to have a correction notice for the next news broadcast.

The news must go on, and seemingly immediately so, so Jesus changes tactics and does his day’s version of going viral – he turns the speakers around and broadcasts to the crowd… and original news escalates into a frenzy of additional information.  Now it is not just about his suffering and death, the suffering and death include all those that follow him.

Jesus is offering anything but llama drama or #thedress as an option to face the evils of his day – although Peter and others would have wished so -  Jesus’ option is understanding one’s life from a perspective entirely different in meaning. Life’s purpose was not to centre around a human beings sense of pleasure in this life right now; far bigger issues and vision are at stake.

Does Jesus option sound all that different from your understanding of those drawn into extremist cells, those with jihadist ideas, or fantasies of being famous – a martyr, remembered? If you lose your life, you will save it; what will it profit you to gain the whole world and forfeit your life….this generation is adulterous and sinful…The Son of Man will come in glory with the Father, the holy angels…those who lose their life will be saved – rewarded.  Set your mind not on human things, but on divine things.

Troubled times, times of fear, lead to hope in the beyond.

So where does that leave us in facing the world of our times?  In the llama drama / #thedress option, in some jihadist idea that life here is nothing and we will be rewarded in the next option, or in taking seriously the call to the cross – reading and hearing the news of the abduction of Syrian Christians –letting the news chill, disturb, and unsettle  us?

Breaking news of the past few days, is returned to by the evening satirists and news talk show hosts. Paul, through the script of Romans addresses an option for Christians and Christian community to take in a world were extremists have publicity and attention.  Using Abraham as the illustration, Paul eloquently weaves an argument that is convincing and do-able.

1.      Be faithful in action.

Paul’s argument is that Abraham is counted as righteous.  Abraham is called righteous before he is tested, before he is circumcised, before there is any law; Abram has already listen to and been moved by the voice of God. Abram acts in faith and steps out across the dessert; propelled by experiencing God.  Paul continues that Abraham didn’t weaken in faith when God called Abraham to more; even though he could have considered his own body as good as dead – too old to have children, Abraham grew stronger in faith as he gave glory to God, convinced God was able to do what God promised.

Through baptism you are counted as righteous.  You are called righteous before you are tested, before you learn catechism, before you know there is a law to follow; by coming here you have already listened to and are being moved by the voice of God.  You act in faith, as your actions in the world come from and are propelled by experiencing God. 

We have all heard the idiom that “actions speak louder than words.” Abraham’s faith grew stronger as he gave glory to God; we have heard a million times “to let our lights shine, to give glory of God.” Let us be about faithfully living from the goodness, grace and mercy we receive.  Being faithful in action is standing at the boundary of extremism and living an option grounded in mercy and grace –every action we take comes from this because it is “meet, right, and salutary” to do so. It is action that stands in opposition to extremism and models a way, a truth and a life.

2.       Dispel fear.

Although not Paul’s words, his argument is one designed to build understanding between factions within a diversifying Christian community. Faith communities have already set up barriers amongst themselves.  Barriers and differences can grow fear and fester wounds.  The unknown causes fear and precipitates ill-will. Frequently I hear the misrepresentation of Christian traditions where the liberal and the Christian right get smacked together; I hear all faiths painted and judged by the expression of the loudest, most extreme versions of said tradition. This is not okay.

The kind of news where a faction of one religion or people, openly take on another is bad news that fuels fear. Dispelling fear begins with dispelling our own.  As Paul tried to build understanding between factions, build understanding to dispel your fear: read and learn about Muslim tradition, investigate Syrian Christians and the current conflict; enter conversations with others to talk about your fears, and what-ifs; and practice rephrasing and using careful speech  when talking of other’s faith. Speak from what you know, learn what you do not know, and then broadcast the good news.

3.       Challenge your own stereotypes and –isms.

Hand-in-hand with dispelling fear you are invited to challenge your own stereotypes and –isms.  To the point, recall the news piece this week of the judge in Quebec (acting from prejudice) who would not hear in her court the women who wore a head scarf…it covered her hair and ears, not her face.  The decision put Muslims in Quebec, already feeling waves of insecurity and prejudice, in an ever growing spotlight and precarious situation.

Consider that many of us would have considered Abraham too old; Jesus too rebellious and dangerously outspoken; and Paul, depending which camp we were in, either too Jewish or too Christian.  Without addressing stereotypes and –isms there is not room for healing and change.  There is no room for the next part of addressing the not so happy news segments.

4.      Enter into relationship.   

Translating scripture can be tricky, as you have heard in the past.  The readings speak of Abraham being a father of nations; consider nations not as political entities, but, rather, as peoples.  God’s promise is to rest on grace and so be guaranteed to all Abraham’s descendants (not only those following the law but to those who share faith.) Achtemeier, a Lutheran scholar, comments on the today’s readings, saying that, “many who opposed Jesus did so because they did not trust God’s promise of grace to those they deemed unworthy of it.” 

Paul, in Romans, points to God’s mercy that is graced to all  -given to the dead – and by doing so is one way God calls into being what before did not exist.  Relationship forged from an experience of grace and mercy, brings into existence a fellowship that did not exist before.   That’s pretty powerful. By being faithful in action through the building of relationship we can be part of what God is doing in the world – bringing into existence that which did not previously exist.  Relationship: Muslims, Jews, Christians holding hands, having coffee together, acknowledging each other on the street (in our courtrooms) as persons – equal in humanness, equal in faith. Relationship: God’s grace to all even those we may deem as unworthy.

You are called to live beyond the options of llama drama and #thedress.  You are called to:

Carry the cross, of this time and place! 

AT ALL COST, enter into relationship, challenge your own stereotypes and –isms, dispel fear, and be faithful in action…to the glory of God. Amen.

A Sermon for Lent 1

And it snowed and rained and froze….and it snowed and rained and froze…and it snowed – and poured rain; for forty days and forty nights, and it seemed like forever.

And it was a cough, and a hack, and a wheeze; a cough, a hack, a wheeze…that lasted for forty days and forty nights and seems like it will last forever;

 and it was sickness, and diagnosis, and surgery… forty days and forty nights;

it was a kid leaving home, and a friendship ending, and a family member dying;

and it is earthquakes, and war, and rumours of war….

It is the human condition.

Human beings can relate to the Noah story because of incidents and accidents within our own lives that have us feel like we’ve been sequestered on a boat, an ark, floating on uncharted wild waters, going who knows where.

We too, relate to Jesus in the wilderness for forty days with wild beasts and angels; tempted by Satan.  The Gospel of Mark leaves the temptations and the wild beasts to our own imaginations; although temptations are real enough that we likely have no need to scour our imaginations to name many.

How much time do you spend in the ark or in the wilderness?

The ark and the wilderness are the places I most often meet people. The ark and the wilderness are the vessels of sickness, dying, chaos, guilt, depression, addiction, shame, negativity, and hopelessness.  When in the vessel more often than not the rainbows are not seen and the angels seem absent.

It is not until after the rain: the sickness, the chaos, the dying, the guilt, - the situations that befall– that we see the rainbows or the angels.  It is rarely, if ever, before.

In the Gospel, John the Baptist is arrested by the Herodian authorities and thrown into prison – no place for rainbows or angels – and in the same sentence Jesus proclaims the good news of God.  “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”  In the same breath is uttered the human condition and the nearness of the kingdom of God.  The ark and rainbow; the wilderness and the angels – stand side by side, hand in hand; as if one needs the other to exist.

How many of you have been to Niagra Falls?  If you’ve been, you have experienced getting wet from the constant spray coming up from the gorge – where thousands of tonnes of water per second, fall 52 metres, and hit the Niagra River below.  On days when the sun is out, even just slightly out, rainbows are a constant presence … that is if you simply turn your head just so and you remember to take off your sunglasses.  It’s as if the whole area where one humungous constant rainbow; and all it takes to see one, is to look.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s lines from her poem Aurora Leigh expresses the idea of the persistent presence of rainbows, - good news- the kingdom of God. She wrote:

Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,

The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,

And daub their natural faces unaware.

Do you see common bushes on fire – the presence of God, the good news, the holy, the kingdom of God close at hand?  Or rather do you only experience a common bush from which to take blackberries?  Do you live every moment ready to be continually, constantly surprised by rainbow after rainbow, angel after angel, good news after good news; joy upon joy regardless of human condition and circumstances that be.

When you think about the weather of February and consider the current condition of our streets and sidewalks –do you see the rainbows?  Even I have had enough… yes, I just said it, but for the record it is the ice not that snow that has bested me.  I ask myself, if there is “good news” to be found in the doldrums of winter?

As we enter the journey of forty days and forty nights that lead to Holy Week and the celebration of Easter; Lent provides the lens to see “good news.”  We are provided a season in the church year to winter; traditionally a time to reflect on the nature of one’s sin, a time to refocus and set priorities to improve one’s relationship with God and others, a time to take stock of one’s being and put it back into balance. 

The Germanic root of the word "lent" means –to lengthen- as we lengthen our time in prayer and fasting; as we lengthen our time of refocusing, taking stock, and setting priorities – so too the days lengthen as Easter draws nearer.  The world around us mimics the growing good news we rediscover through taking time to winter.

Time to winter.

We have been forced to over the past few weeks, have we not? I wonder, did you see the snow days as gifts or did you fret about what you were not accomplishing?  Did you find other stay-at-home projects to tackle to keep busy?  Did you curl up in a favourite spot with a warm drink, a good book, a blanket and enjoy the day?  Did you consider the weather to be an imposed rest day at God’s hand?

Over the years, I cannot recall the number of conversations I have had during pastoral visits where people have reflected on “the good old days” and “what a good old winter” was like.  Back in the day, goes the reminiscent story, involving lots of snow, high snowbanks, days of school missed, adventures of drifts over doors and snow to the eaves; of potbellied stoves in the church and either cutter rides or the whole family traipsing to the church via foot no matter how nasty...and the tale was told as if every minute was enjoyed!

Time to winter is forcing ourselves to slow down; in essence taking a snow day. The human condition of our time and culture, is to stir up the waves and increase the storm so that the ark is batted to and fro continually, and likewise to scurry through the wilderness creating dust storms ---- obscuring rainbows and angels in busyness, self-importance or self-improvement, and the desperation to earn and have more. Unhappy, discontented, and disconnected we miss relationship with ourselves, others, and God. We end up stuck on the sea and banished in the wilderness. A human being cannot stay stuck at sea (resources run out, the ark will eventually get holes, it will sink); and one cannot remain banished in the wilderness (susceptible to the elements and poisoness beasts, to wither and decay).  We have the option to wait out the sea and the wilderness – to crash and burn out.  We also have the option to embrace winter – TO come to a FULL STOP.

 In that stuck-ness and banishment… when everything stops… either because we stop to refocus, or forced upon us by us hitting bottom … there – when nothing else is – God waits for us to look; the good news has been present all along.

French Nobel Prize winning author Albert Camus wrote: In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.  I have heard it many times, “I never thought I would have the strength to get through that.” “I had peace despite the circumstance.” “I felt that I was not alone.” Those statements are the invincible summer – the good news – that has been and is being planted deep within.

Through Lent this community takes the time to reflect on our human condition, and encourages the moving of the head, the taking off of sunglasses, so that the rainbows can be experienced amidst the storms of life.  This journey asks that we enter the wilderness to take an honest look at what is out of balance in our lives, what are the temptations to be set aside, and what wild beasts do we need to face… so that when Easter morn rises our hearts are refocused to see and experience Jesus in glory - full of promise, full of life – rainbows and angels ever present.

My Lenten prayer for each of you is a variation of a traditional Irish blessing:
God grant you to experience/ in every storm, a rainbow,/ in every tear, a smile,/in every care, a promise/
in every wilderness, an angel; / For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share/ in every sigh, a sweet song,/ in the darkest night, a light.  Be not afraid of the journey, for you are not alone; reflect and become balanced, so you may share Christ’s love with all.  Amen.

Something for a Snowy Day

Today seven of us joined in Morning Suffrages, with a simply communion.  The reading read was in lectio divina from (see sermon below), followed by  a sharing of the Word as we heard it and how it read us.

Transfiguration B-2015

This morning I draw your attention to a small section of the Gospel.  The phrase caused a bit of a stir at Bible Study and an even bigger stir at the weekly clergy discussion group I attend. 

“Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.  He didn’t know what to say… who is, “he?” Peter or Jesus.

“Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And who was terrified, just the disciples or Jesus too?

The pastor’s study group has a participant who speaks biblical Greek, in his sleep, each week it rolls off his tongue at least once.  And he ponder the Greek sentence construction for a few moments, and felt the language did lean toward Jesus being the “he.”  Jesus didn’t know what to say. Jesus was included in the “they were terrified.”

In a conversation this week, I was reminded of something I learned in counseling courses, parenting classes, and leadership seminars I have participated in.  Before one finds themselves in a crisis –a place of fear- it is best to have practiced and roll played what it is one should say. And to practice these phrases repetitively so they automatically get put into play as second nature when the crisis arises.

I am reading, “Older, Faster, Stronger,” a book about women long distant runners over the age of 50. It talks about why women seem to improve in long distance running abilities as they age. In one section, the book discusses imaging out a race by colour or animal; and includes emphasis on practicing good self-talk, focusing on running form, having a mantra to repeat, and happy thoughts that will provide motivation when one hits a wall so to speak. All of this one practices on every practice run, so that on race day any crisis that might arise, your body and mind go into autopilot and the race is completed well.

Situations and crisis arise all the time. We react.

The book and the conversation I had this week reminded me, and kindled a desire, to be prepared for times when I might be stressed, challenged, tempted to act in a not-so-Christian way, and to be ready for times of fear and terror.

It is a beautiful thought to see Jesus in a very human condition. Being stymied and terrified is part of human nature. How often have you not had the words to say?  … someone gives you a grand compliment, you get into a verbal fight, when someone dies and you meet the family in the visitation line, or a friend shares that they have cancer… what do you say?

This very human condition, set in the story on the mountain, speaks to me of the very nature of God; the combination stressed by Bonhoeffer of the humanity of God and the divinity of the human- God dared to enter a state of humiliation, where God humbled self to become a man, to undergo humiliation through acceptance of sinful flesh, of his own freewill –where there is restraint from exercising divine properties and powers through the human nature for the duration of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. Christ goes incognito as a beggar among beggars, sinner among sinners; at the same time is sinless among sinners.

Jesus is transfigured and shown to be human.  The response to being stymied and terrified echoes from a deeper place of knowing, the Word that was from the beginning, repeated at Jesus’ baptism and again now; the Word for to empower the “who” of Jesus, and the expectation placed on the disciples.  Everyone is given action to move forward from this moment of fear.  Jesus focus on being the Beloved, disciples listen.

Go practice because situations and crisis down the road approaching the end in Jerusalem will require instant automatic responses; practice so that you are ready. 

This morning I would like to introduce you to a way of preparing for those moments of being stymied and/or terrified;  A way to give you the Word needed in a time of crisis, chaos, or indecision; A Gospel response that will come automatically because it has been practiced. Perhaps during all the snow days we seem to be having, or simply as a discipline over Lent, you might try the following.

Henri Nouwen, in his book, “Spiritual Formation,” uses the practice of lectio divina after each chapter in the book to assist readers in building their spiritual storehouse and God-relationship.  Lectio Divina is an ancient spiritual practice that comes from the Benedictine tradition.  It is a practice that focuses on the sacred and devotional reading of scripture. Through this discipline one learns to really read scripture uninhibited and allows us to be read by the Word of God.

Nouwen says, “When we approach the Word of God as a word spoken to me, God’s presence and will can be made known.  The regular practice of lectio divina presents occasions when my story and God’s story meet.  To read the Bible in this way means therefore to read ‘on my knees’ ---- reverently, attentively, and with the deep faith that God has a word for me in my own situation.” (pg.xiii Spiritual Formation)

Today we are going to take a few moments to practice lectio divina. How it works:  I will slowly read a portion of the Gospel from this morning aloud, 3 x – as you listen take note of a word, phrase, image, or thought that comes to your attention – note it so it can be reflected on later.  How do you hear the Word? How is the Word reading you?

           

“Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.  Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud, there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

Beloved One, inspire by your Holy Spirit our hearts and minds to dedicate time for disciplined practice. Fill us with the Word, so that in times of being stymied and terrified, we have the Word to comfort, hear, and speak.  Give us a new vision of your love, so released from fear, we may continue to practice following the Incarnate. Amen.