SERMON 8/12/12 Pentecost 11B

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2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33; Psalm 130; Ephesians4:25-5:2; John 6:35, 41-51
 
Deep within the noble mirror my novel soulresides,Whatever secret the mirror reveals shows thechange I hold inside.Upon reflecting an autumn tree, newlyconverted to golden hue,Beckoning me to obey nature’s course, so mysoul can be renewed.1    Author Unknown                “Amirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves muchof its original quality.”2  When we gazeat the reflection in one of those pieces of glass, we usually see our “true”self.  When we wake up in the morning withwrinkled PJ’s and messed up hair, without makeup, razor, and with un-brushedteeth guess what, that image is the “real deal.”  Mirrors also reveal our “masked self” withits designer clothes, fashionable hair doo’s, appropriate social etiquette, andproper church-like behavior.  When wegaze out our reflections, the reality is that underneath all that glistens fromthe glass, is the same person with messed up hair, without makeup, razor, andwith un-brushed teeth.                  We arewho we are and the outside shines through, that side of us others see, which,shows both the “real deal” self, and it, shows the “masked self.”  How we live, how we interact, how we witnessto our faith, speak volumes about our spiritual life; our true self.  In today’s epistle, the Apostle Paul wasmetaphorically holding up a mirror before the Church in Ephesus, as he askedthem what it was they saw in the reflection! Paul cautions this early Christian community, that they should be awareof how they interact with each other, and what life within the community lookslike to the world around them. Evidently, based on the examples Paul uses, there was some “bad blood”between some of the folks in that little community.  Paul mentions in his letter that there wasanger, evil talk, stealing, and all sorts of conflict in Ephesus, and it seemsthere were some disagreements and rumblings going on.          Throughhis exhortation, Paul reminded those folks that being a Christian community, totruly follow Christ, they had to stand up and proclaim, we will be “withoutbitterness, anger, shouting, cursing, and any kind of malice.  Instead, we need to embrace goodness,warm-heartedness, and forgiveness, with Christ as (our) example.”  Like those first century Christians, churchestoday are not immune to some of those problematic relational issues, and weprobably ought to be on the lookout for these things in ourselves and in thecongregations to which we belong.

                Thechurch is supposed to live as a reconciliation community.  Our mission is to bring others to “unity withGod and each other in Christ.”  We arenot only a respite place, an island of love where its members can escape from aworld where division, malice, and unrest abounds.  We are a mission society that is sent out toshow the world what reconciliation in Christ is really like.  A “community of reconciliation is to be, andwill be, a neighborhood where the old is put off and the new put on.”  2  Ourpurpose is to be a place for personal transformation, communal transformation,so we can transform God’s world.  Thechurch is like a laboratory, a gymnasium, a practice field where we can cometogether in Christ, and live out together, love, mercy, and grace that willflow from beyond the walls of the building. We are members of one another and as such, how we are perceived, the reflectionwe cast in the world, the image of our everyday lives, should show the worldreconciling love. 

                Jesussaid, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  Whoever eats of this bread will live forever;and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."  Jesus met folks where they were.  Jesus brought healing to all with whom hecame in contact.  Jesus never worriedabout what made him feel good, what he wanted, what filled his needs.  Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick,restored the outcast, and eventually, he gave himself up fully to the world todo with him, as we wished.  Jesus lovedbeyond himself.  Jesus did not judge thefailures of those who wanted to follow him, but for whatever reason could notmake that leap rather, he invited them and grieved when they turned and walkedaway.  Jesus invited everyone to journeywith him regardless of his or her background, failure, social place, ortheological perspective.  Jesus loved inways that we sometimes cannot.  

                Thisimage of Our Lord, is the image we are called to reflect.  We are not merely to put this image on forspecial gatherings, for Sunday mornings, but this image should be one wereflect all the time.  Even when thingsare tough, when we are having that bad day, even when it doesn’t seem like wecan cope, if we stand in the mirror and look long enough, we can see the faceof Christ in ours.  See, even when wemight fail to live up to the perfection of Christ, we truly have in us thespark of the divine presence.  We aremarked as Christ’s own and sealed by the Holy Spirit by our baptism.  That spark of that image never goesaway.  So whether we are in our PJ’s withfrumped up hair, no makeup, five o’clock shadow, and un-brushed teeth, or weare standing tall in the latest fashion, the finest designer haircut, or themost appropriate social skills, we have in us a glimpse of the image of God’sdivine Spirit in us.  

         Theother day, I happened to look at the website of an Episcopal parish in anotherpart of Florida.  I read a recent sermonpreached by the priest and I found it very interesting.  In her homily she asked parishioners towrestle prayerfully with this question, “if St. Swithin’s was not here nextweek, would the community of Swithinville miss us?”  Then she added, “Why would we bemissed?”  We need to wrestle with thatquestion, as we wrestle to be imitators of God.           Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus chargedthem to be "imitators of God." He encouraged the little community and the individuals in it, to mimicGod.  As we hear the scripture read thismorning, we need to recognize that we are also the recipients of Paul’sletter.  We too are called to imitateGod, maybe even to impersonate God both as a community and as the individualswho make up that community.  We cometogether as a faith community not merely gathering for our benefit, yes, ourbenefit makes us better witnesses, but we gather as a community so we can showthe world what a  reconciling communityis really like.  We do that not by tryingto put on airs with great hair, makeup, saying the right things, acting theright way.  We do that by being people oflove who can accept our neighbors’ failures, our neighbors’ imperfections, andour neighbors’ struggles to live into the reconciling grace of God.                   In 1988, a song written by Glen Ballard andSiedah Garrett and performed by Michael Jackson, topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for two weeks,and was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards.  (The Video) This songwas very popular when I was in my last year of college and the words are,  “I'm Starting With The Man In TheMirror,  I'm Asking Him To Change HisWays, And No Message Could Have  Been AnyClearer,  If You Wanna Make TheWorld  A Better Place,  Take A Look At Yourself, And  Then Make A Change.”  I remember how much this song influenced somany people in the late 80’s, at a time when a cultural shift was beginning tooccur.  Many of us were beginning tonotice the needs of the world beyond our borders, and this song helped us put wordsto a deep concern for our neighbors that was emerging in our spirits.  I believe this song stands as a challenge,not only to a generation nearly 25 years ago, but it challenges the churchtoday.  “If You Wanna Make The World  A Better Place,  Take A Look At Yourself, And  Then Make A Change.”

                Ifwe are going to truly fulfill our mission “to bring all people to unity withGod and each other in Christ,” then the mission needs to begin with each of us. Thus, we will begin to live as the redeemed and our lives will be thereal thing, not "knock-offs" of the humans we would be withoutGod.  I believe we are well on our wayand in Christ, the church has begun to resemble the creature humanity was meantto be—a humanity created in God's image.


1http://www.everypoet.net/poetry/blogs/weed_of_the_garden/deep_within_the_mirror_my_soul_resides  2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror
3 Olson, Ronald. "Thinking And Practicing Reconciliation" : The Ephesian TextsFor Pentecost 8-14." Word & World 17.3 (1997): 322-328. ATLASerials,Religion Collection. Web. 7 Aug. 2012.

SERMON 8/19/12 Pentecost 12B

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John 6:51-58; 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Ephesians 5:15-20

                Betweenthe first and second years of seminary, we seminarians are required to do our ClinicalPastoral training.  For ten weeks, all of us served aschaplain interns throughout the week, and then each Fridays, we gatheredtogether as a group with our mentor to evaluate how we handled particularsituations.  Some seminarians served inhospital trauma units, others served in retirement communities.  I served in a rural hospice organization fromwhich, I visited patients and their families located all over rural MiddleTennessee. 
                Itwas difficult ministry, it was needed ministry, it was rewarding ministry.  I recall one patient who was under the care ofone of our best nurses.  My new patient's name was Sue,and she was really struggling to get her meds balanced and the pain was at times,unbearable.  I sat with her during one ofour weekly visits and the slight grimaces on her face hidden only by her forcedsmile, told me she was in distress.  Shelooked at me with tears in her eyes, but through a deeply committed faith andsaid, “I give thanks to God that I was able to see that beautiful sunrisetoday, did you see it Eric?” 
                Whenyou find yourself in the middle of difficult times, giving thanks to God may bethe last thing on your mind, but giving thanks to God, even in difficult times,is a sign of the Spirit of Love, in which we are embraced.  Sue was filled with a love beyond imagine, andit was that love that shone through, even in the midst of her pain. Sue gave thanksin all things.
                Itis easy to give thanks when things are good. When money’s in the bank, the job is going well, there are no healthissues, when we have plenty of sleep, lots of food, and all the basicscovered.  When evidence of abundanceabounds all around us, giving thanks to God can be an empty gesture. With awink and a nod, we gaze up and say, “Thank you Jesus!”  
                Withwhat spirit are we really filled with in those times?  Is that the Spirit of Love or a spirit ofbeing well satisfied, self-fulfilled, or maybe an attitude of “ I deserve allthis.”  The Spirit of love, which Christ poursout usually becomes most evident in the midst of life, when the bottom falls out.  In those times, it may not easy to say, “God,I don’t have much, but for this one meal I have today, I am eternally gratefuland acknowledge you r provision.”  The Spiritof Christ’s love in the midst of difficulties gives us the strength to expressgratitude when we would rather complain.  Christ fills us with love, gratitude, and humility and thus, we are filledwith the Spirit.
                Whenpeople start talking about being filled with the Spirit, some of us Episcopalians canbecome a little antsy or a little uncomfortable.  Maybe because when we talk about the Spirit,images of ecstatic spiritual experiences, hand-raising responses, or praisemusic are conjured up.  Evidence of beingfilled with the Spirit is something we here about throughout scripture.  Whether it was Old Testament prophets or thefollowers of Jesus, people who evidenced a filling of the Spirit, the Spirit oflove, were not mere benefactors of that gift, for their own benefit.  If you look closely at those moments of spirit filling, eachperson was being fitted, prepared, equipped so that they might be sent out witha purpose.
                 The Spirit of Christ’s love fills us not so webecome merely a consumer of Spiritual wares, but so that we might become a conveyorof that same love.  We as followers ofChrist are vessels, exchange agents, conduits of God love.  We are filled with the Spirit of love, so thatme might “play our role in the mystery of God, ultimately uniting all thingsunder one head in Christ.”1
                Ifwe are in fact, all united in Christ, we are not merely a gathering ofindividuals, that are independent, and separate, who like eggs in a crate,happen to occupy common space.  No, thechurch is a tapestry of individual threads woven together.  We are like a cloth, in which the lines thatseparate our individual gifts, our individual situations, our individual lives becomeblurred, and the whole takes on a new hue. As such, Christ pours out perfect love on the community so that the communitythrives and matures, the community unites in a chorus of voices singing praisesto God for all to hear. 
                We allhave a part in the mystery of God’s work of salvation.  We are co-conspirators with God, co-creators ofgrace, who are filled with God’s Spirit that is lived out and through us.  The mission of God to bring unity to all inChrist, is the mission of the church.  Weare not left alone to carry this endeavor out by ourselves.  We are empowered, charged, and filled byGod’s Spirit to carry out the work we have been given to do, which is to be open books of the GoodNews.  We can surely give God thanks andpraise. 
                Myencounter with Sue on that difficult summer day in 2008, reminded me that weshould in all things, acknowledge Christ’s love for us.  We are filled with the Spirit of love, andthat knowledge strengthens and empowers us to  face anything; any uncertainty, any fear, anythreat.  In all things giving thanks, wecan with humility and peace say, “God I give thanks to you this day, despitethese circumstances in which, I find myself. I give thanks for your love and grace.”  “Lord, please give me the strength to liveinto the virtue of hope and patience . . . give me grace to trust you andpraise you in all things.”  Give thanksto the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever. 
1 (Heil, John Paul. "Ephesians 5:18B: "But BeFilled In The Spirit." Catholic Biblical Quarterly 69.3 (2007): 506-516.ATLASerials, Religion Collection. Web. 18 Aug. 2012.)

SERMON 9/2/12 Pentecost 14 B

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James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
            “Christian” is a word that for some folks, has many differentlevels of meaning.  For all of us, itmeans we have passed through the waters of baptism.  For others it means baptism yes, and it means alife that is constantly in process, a life in which, we are growing to be morelike Christ.  We hear the Spirit’s callto be like Christ, but the transformation of life and spirit must first andalways, take place in the heart. Accepting the identity of Christian, of “follower of Christ,” ouroutward actions, the life we live every day, must become a reflection of the heart. 

            Jesus affirms that outward actions reflect our inwardheart, as he challenges the folks about some of their traditions of ritually cleaninghands before eating, and the tradition of washing cups, and pots.  For Jesus, these little actions were no morethan empty gestures that had loss their original intent.  The intentions of the people, who wererequiring these traditions, had shifted from being an outward sign of the heart’slove of God, to an action that found its purpose in the accolades of those who sawthem doing it.  For some of the peopleJesus was challenging, what they did, the traditions and service they wereoffering was not because of a heart drawn to God, but a desire to gainadmiration of others.  Can you think of emptygestures in our traditions or in our culture that have somehow have lost theiroriginal intent? The problem with some of these things is not in theactions/traditions themselves, it is the theology, the intentions behind them.
            It is in the human heart that our intentions emerge andit is from there, our actions emerge.  Modernscience reminds us that it is not in the heart organ itself where we processthought, intentions, or emotions.  Thoseprocesses in the brain however; we recognize there is more going on there aswell.  It is through the spirit, the connectednesswe have to God, which has a significant role in how our intentions manifestthemselves.
             The word intentionmeans “an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result,the end or object intended, or the purpose.” When we consider an action we want to accomplish, it becomes manifested becauseof our thoughts, our desires, and our dreams. Our actions always come with a purpose. For instance, if we make a choice to give something to someone,hopefully, in our brain, in our spirit, the intention is to share, to give ofourselves, to follow God’s mandate to care for others. 
            Consider for a moment why you are here today.  We all woke up this morning and made a choicewhether to come to church or not.  Hopefully, within our spirits our intentionsof coming to worship today, was so we could join in this fellowship of sharingcommunity with other Christians, to worship God, and to offer praises to OurLord.  In each of these examples, we donot merely need to act, we need to take a moment and consider why we have done,what we have done.  We always need to examinethe purpose behind our choices.  Sometimesour outward actions get a little off track and we do things for empty reasons.  Kind of like washing cups, pots, and bronzekettles.  We sometimes lose sight of thereasons behind what we do. 
            We as Christians must never forget that we must examineour hearts and the intentions of our heart, our spirit.  Jesus said, “‘this people honors me withtheir lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me,teaching human precepts as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”  Some folks like to use this scripture as somemisguided justification for eliminating traditions, traditions that have a legitimateconnection to the intentions of the heart. I for one, do not believe Jesus was offering a justification for gettingrid of traditions.  I believe Jesus waschallenging those early followers and us his current followers, to examine whywe do what we do.
            Jesus is asking us to look at our heart and examine ifthe purpose behind our actions reveal the desire to grow in a deeper love ofOur Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to grow in a deeper love with our neighbors,and to be a community of reconciliation and grace.  If what we do as a community, if the traditionswe hold on to support these intentions, then we retain them.  If what we do comes in conflict with the heart’sdesire to love God and love neighbor, we should abandon them for new ways ofbeing. 
         In either case, we should begin everyendeavor with an examination of our hearts and ask, “Why do we do this?”  We approach this examination with cautionbecause Jesus said, “For it is from within, from the human heart, that evilintentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness,deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly.  All these evil things come from within, andthey defile a person."  Our hearts directwhat we do.
             Examining ourhearts has implications for both us as a community, and us as individuals.  Sometimes we act in ways that in our own mindsis pure and in line with God’s ways, but is that always the case?  A group of Christians had a grand idea tobegin doing something new in the community. They were certain absolutely that this was of God and it was in serviceto their neighbor.  However, there weresome folks in the group, who before beginning, had not done the hard work of examiningthe heart before embarking on this endeavor. A few of the members of this group were struggling with why they wereeven involved in the ministry and they questioned whether it was based on a desirefor self-grandeur.  They eventually becameblind to how their actions and reactions were affecting others.  They needed a heart examination.
            The spiritual practice of self-examination is deeplyrooted in our tradition.  St. Ignatius ofLoyola was a loyal disciple in 15^th and 16^th centuries,who after a conversion experience in battle, began discerning how God wasworking in his life.  He became a great spiritualdirector and he developed a process (The Daily Examen) which is a prayerfulreflection on one’s own life and actions. The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events ofthe day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us.  The Examen is an ancient practice in theChurch that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience.  
            We are all called to engage in an ongoing examination ofour lives, not just on Sunday, but each day of the week.  We must search our heart’s intentions fromwhich, our actions emerge.  If we findthat our objectives are to love God, love neighbor and in so doing, be aninstrument of grace and reconciliation, then we retain those actions thatemerge from our hearts.  If we find thatour objectives are anything else, if our objectives become merely self-serving,if they create division, if we begin to undermine God’s work, then we must abandonthose actions that emerge from our hearts. The spirit of being a disciple, a follower of Jesus is to accept thereality that our hearts must be remade, reformed, so that we may truly followJesus.  In the Epistle of James, we are encouragedto not be “hearers who forget, but doers who act.”  We must not forget that our purpose, our divinecalling is to love God, and right alongside that to love neighbor.  At the end of the day we need to look back andquestion just how well we have been faithful to our life purpose.  Difficult? Yes.  Uncomfortable?  Absolutely. Countercultural? Without a doubt? Is this what Jesus did?  You canstake your life on it.

SERMON 9-9-12 Pentecost 15B

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Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; Psalm 125; James 2:1-10,[11-13],14-17; Mark 7:24-37
                Forabout three months or so now, it has become more evident to Terri and me thatour precious mini-doxie Duchess is getting older and having more health problems.   We are noticing that the gray in her fur isovertaking the beautiful red coat she has had since the day we adopted herthirteen years ago.  Her left eye isstarting to become cloudy.  Her breathingat night seems labored and strained.  At times,she is as vital and lively as a puppy and at other times, she is listless and tired.  We know for the sake of our other youngerdoxie (Duke), we will need to introduce a new baby to our family.  Terri recently began communicating with a youngwoman in Tampa who had a two-year-old black and tan male, for which she could nolonger care.  Guess what, he’s now ourlittle boy … we picked him up Thursday afternoon and in a short period of time,we both realized that introducing a new dog into the house, is quite a challenge. 
                The establisheddogs were resistant to the newcomer’s exuberance, playfulness, and energy.  The old timers (Duke and Duchess) were leeryof the new boy’s toys, bed, his smell, his sound, and his actions.  The dogs that have been with us since we 1999were not ready to change or accept this newcomer (Tyson) without a fight, nip, pick,growl, chase, screech, and yelp, which seemed to go on for several hours theother night.  We have noticed over the pasttwo days, that our three beautiful little Dachshunds are getting along much better,and seem to be finding their place in our home.
                Humansand dogs in a strange way are not that different when it comes to accepting,inviting, embracing, loving, and allowing an outsider to integrate into, and havean impact on the pack; the community.  Itseems in our society, when new folks enter our circle, eyebrows raise, hairstands up on the back of our necks, we become frightened, threatened, and uncertainof our own place.  Sometimes when the newdog joins the pack, we tend to try to put the newcomer in their place, so wecan feel better about ours. 
                The gospelnarrative we hear today reminds us of how we create barriers between eachother, barriers that the Good News of God in Christ rejects.  The story is about an encounter Jesus hadwith a Syro-Phoenician woman whose daughter was possessed by anaffliction.  The woman was desperate for reliefand her plea to the young rabbi for help, would become one of the puzzlingencounters of Our Lord’s ministry.  Weneed some background information,   to understandfully what is going on in this story.  “Syrophoeniciawas an ancient Semitic Canaanite civilization situated on the western, coastalpart of the Fertile Crescent and centered in Lebanon.”(1)  The woman was both a Gentile, but also Hellenistic.  She more than likely spoke Greek and probably was a woman of adifferent socio-economic class  than Jesusand his disciples and thus, two cultures collided through this conversation.  Another interesting tidbit of background on this story is the fact that many of the peasant Israelites cultivated andharvested the food, which was consumed by the aristocratic, Hellenistic classto which this woman belonged.  Even so, becauseof the social class distribution of food and many other goods, most of thepeople who actually grew the food (the Israelites) lived with an unnecessaryscarcity.  There was a distinction, rift,divide between God’s children (both Jew and Gentile), and it resulted in a battleof “us against them,” which pervaded the interactions between these two groups(Hellenistic socialites and peasant farmers).
                Now,some of these socialites were not the only ones who embraced an ethos of class/ethnicsuperiority.  From the Israelite’s perspective,all Gentiles, all people outside the House of Israel, were held with greatdisdain, so much that they were commonly referred to as “dogs.” “Dogs” was a disparagingmetaphor, a derogatory term popular at the time for describing all Gentiles andit is interesting how it finds its way into today’s pericope. (2)  This story is found in both the Gospelaccording to Matthew and according to Mark. Today, we have Mark’s version and if we merely gloss over Jesus’ remarksto the woman, one could get the impression that Jesus is no better than thefolks who ostracized the Gentile, cast out the leper, diminished the lame,blind or deaf, or desired stoning for the adulterer. 
                Whenat the woman’s request for Jesus’ help he responded with, “Let the children befed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to thedogs." Jesus was not saying, “You’re on your own here lady.”  Some scholars believe the meaning behind hiswords was, “my mission right now is this, but in due time the rest will comeinto the kingdom.”  Other theologiansbelieve Jesus was not using an abusive meaning of “dog” but was referring to little“house puppies,” or household pets who were allowed in the house and gatheredat the foot of the table and received scraps.  Either way, when we hear his cutting words, weare surprised at Jesus’ response to a woman who was seeking his help, and itleaves us a bit uncomfortable.  TheologianWilliam Loader asserts, “When God’s election of Israel becomes the basis forJesus' initial refusal to heal this girl, we cannot avoid feeling indignant.”(4) Could it be that the discomfort we feel comes from our own experiences ofhow we have witnessed for ourselves, the atrocities weighed against the outsider?  We can find some comfort that an ethnic/social/racialevil is not the heart of this story.  Evenso, the dialogue leaves us with an uneasiness and a tension, that challengesour own biases; the “demon” that is human inequality, injustice, and lack ofdignity.
                “Dogs”was a diminutive, common term of abuse in that society.  We have those unspoken terms used in ourculture today do we not? We dare not say them here, right?  Early in my retail career, when I lived inthe deep, rural south of Mississippi and later in Alabama, I remember hearingabusive labels hurled at folks, labels fueled by hatred and racism. I have alsoheard terrible prejudices used with vicious intent, with an evil so hurtfulthat a cutting blade or bashing stick could have done no more injury to theperson.  I have heard such diminutiveterms used on a close family member because of their sexual orientation.  Such abuse is a demonic perpetuation ofinequality, injustice, and dignity-robbery . So, when we here Jesus use “dog” to label the Syro-Phoenician woman, weare for a moment, rocked off our pristine Christian heels.  Keep in mind, there is much more going onhere and the entire dialogue between the woman and Our Lord in a unique way, isopening the door for us to realize that Christian community, the life of theChurch is not about exclusion, but inclusion. 
                "Sir,even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." The woman rebukesJesus preoccupation with his ministry to the chosen, and makes it clear thatshe, even though not in the House of Israel, is in God’s house and needs to befed by God’s abundance.  The woman is proclaimingthat now ,"the gentiles are no longer outside in the streets; they are nowin the house." And in a moment—thanks to this loving mother's theologicaldiscernment—the dogs "will be at the table," the place of truefellowship.” (2)
                In amoment, the tables are turned, the mission expands, the focus is no longer justthe insiders, the path is widened, and Jesus invites ALL, not some, to thebanquet.  This unusual story depicts a pivotalcrossroad in Jesus’ ministry at which, it becomes clear his saving power is inclusive,and goes beyond physical healing.  Jesusis using a little irony to make the point that all are welcome at the table!  The gospel writer in his inclusion of thisstory, is not diving into the psychology of Jesus, he is being very clear thatJesus is crossing the boundary of human divide, and bringing the Kingdom to all… even the dogs!  Jesus’ rebuke of the Syro-Phoenicianwoman is not really the focus of the encounter. “Mark's focus is on what he did. Jesus agreed to the woman's request;Jesus crossed the boundary; Jesus exemplified and legitimized what by Mark'stime had become the reality which he celebrates: the community of faithinclusive of both Jew and Gentile.” (5)   Jesus I believe was not testing this woman’s faithto see if she would stand up to the oppressors … I believe he was actuallyinspired by her.  I believe Jesusactually had an epiphany of sorts.  Ibelieve Jesus became clear about who he was, and what he was called to do.  I believe Jesus is helping us to become veryclear about who we are as the church, and what our mission is to become. 
                 We must break down barriers to the table, to God’sKingdom that we knowingly or unknowingly put up!   Mark eloquently captured a culture that judgeda woman on the externals, on her heritage as a gentile, but she would have noneof it.  She challenged Jesus and she challengesus by asking, “Where do I fit in, in the Kingdom you so eloquently preach about?”  She asks Jesus, and she asks us, “Can I get ascrap of grace from you?”  I love thisstory because like theologian Stephen Fowler asserts, “the Syro-Phoenicianwoman understands that God's election of Israel entails Jesus' feeding of thechildren of Abraham. She does not argue with the fairness of God's choice.Rather, as if she had studied the Old Testament, she recognizes that such anabundant overflowing of grace must result in "all the nations being blessed."The key to understanding the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman is to recognizethat in this moment of his ministry,” Jesus opened himself up to mission to thewhole world, he opened his church to the world. Now we are to open ourselves tothe whole world in mission.”(2)
                Yesterdayin the Englewood Sun, St. David’s was on the front page in a well-written articlethat announced the official opening of our Jubilee Center in October.  Even so, if you read merely the surface story,you might miss another announcement , deeply embedded in the words of celebrationabout our new ministry.  The headline, “DaySchooltransformed to Jubilee Outreach Center” really proclaims a new narrative aboutthis parish.  The new story is that St.David’s is a parish who more and more each day welcomes the stranger, theoutcast, the misfortunate, the least, the lost, and the lonely.  We are a people who believe that when Jesussaid, “Love your neighbor,” it was not merely a casual suggestion, a passing thoughtof “love ‘em if you have time or especially if you have nothing better to do onyour agenda.”  The headline reads, “St.David’s is a parish that is being flooded by the Spirit of justice, equality,human dignity, mercy, grace, reconciliation, and love!  We are being transformed and at the same time,we are welcoming the transformation, which others who join us, are bringing tothe pack.  God is at work in this placeand with these people.  We will not be achurch that embraces exclusion and an ethos of clubhouse.  We will love our neighbor.  So, if you ever hear someone ask you because ofan uneasiness about new dogs joining the pack  “Who let the dogs in,”I encourage, no I implore you, to loving look into their eyes and with graceand love respond   I encourage you toyou say to them, “the Master of this house, who gave of himself to bringreconciliation, grace, love, mercy, life (and life abundantly) to the world andall who are in it, sits at the head of this table, and all, not just some,  are welcome to join the feast. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia
(2) Husted, Heidi A. "When The Gospel Goes To TheDogs." Christian Century 117.23 (2000): 829-22. ATLASerials, ReligionCollection. Web. 2 Sept. 2012.
(3) Perkinson, James W. "A Canaanitic Word In TheLogos Of Christ; Or The Difference The Syro-Phoenician Woman Makes To Jesus."Semeia 75 (1996): 61-85. ATLASerials, Religion Collection. Web. 2 Sept. 2012.
(4)Fowl, Stephen E. "God's Choice." ChristianCentury 123.18 (2006): 20-22. ATLASerials, Religion Collection. Web. 6 Sept.2012.
(5)Loader, William R G. "Challenged At The Boundaries: A Conservative Jesus In Mark's Tradition." Journal For The Study Of TheNew Testament 63 (1996): 45-61. ATLASerials, Religion Collection. Web. 6 Sept.2012.
 
 

SERMON 9-16-12 Pentecost 16B

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Proverbs 1:20-33; Psalm 19; James 3:1-12; Mark 8:27-38
            The setting for today’s gospel is Caesarea Philippi.  The little field trip the disciples took withOur Lord to this Roman city, and the dialogue that followed, is an important episodein Jesus ministry.  This conversationserves as a pivotal point in Jesus’ ministry because through it, Jesus’disciples are confronted with who Jesus really is, and who Jesus is in the lifeof his followers.  Caesarea Philippi wasan ancient Roman city located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon, adjacentto a spring, grotto, and related shrines dedicated to the Greek god Pan.  In Greek mythology, Pan is the god of the wild,shepherds and flocks, nature, of mountain wilds.  It was in the midst of this area dedicated toa pagan deity that Jesus questions his followers, “Who do people say that I am?”  Imagine being in a world in which there is aplethora of spiritual practices, a collection of various deities, and a cultureof pluralistic religious dogmas.  Jesus’question “Who do people say that I am,” is appropriate in such a social setting,and it is an appropriate question for Christians who must grapple with it today.
             Dan Kimball, apastor of a non-denominational church in Santa Cruz, CA recently published abook, “I like Jesus, but I Don’t like Christians.”  It was based on a survey he conducted  a few years ago on the campus of theUniversity of California and in it, he asked random students these twoquestions: 1) “What comes to mind when you hear the name ‘Jesus’?” and (2)“What comes to mind when you hear the name ‘Christian’?”  Kimball asserts in his book, “The answers tothese questions brought me both joy and optimism, but also extreme sadness.Why? Because at the first question we saw students’ faces light up in smiles. “Jesuswas beautiful.” “I want to be like Jesus”. “Jesus was a liberator of women.”“I’m all about Jesus.” “I want to be a follower of Jesus.” “Jesus wasenlightened and had higher truth.” What encouraging answers! Here we were on a verypost-Christian campus and we were finding students eager to talk about Jesus.  I realized they probably weren’t familiar withthe whole of Jesus’ teachings, but they held an incredibly high perception ofChrist as a positive figure in history.” 1
             Kimball goes on tosay, “When the very same students were asked the second question their expressionschanged dramatically. Eyes looked downward, smiles turned to frowns and evenpainful expressions. “Christians have taken the teachings of Jesus and reallymessed them up.” “I would want to be a Christian, but I have never met one.”“Christians are dogmatic and close-minded.” “Christians are supposed to be loving, but I never met any that are.”1     
            This sounds like a harsh report on Christians doesn’tit?  It is painful to hear this emerging perceptionamong people who despite their perception of his followers, find Jesus alluring.  As a leader in the church, it is certainly difficultfor me to hear this report.  In fact, Iam a little offended when I hear the answers to the second question, but at thesame time, it makes me wonder, in a society of multiple spiritualities andpluralistic faiths, not unlike that of first century Caesarea Philippi, whatdoes my witness as a Jesus follower really convey?  Am I witnessing to the one I proclaim as Lord?“Who do people say I am” was the question Jesus asked of his followers.  The other related and equally important question,with which we as Christians must grapple, is “who do people say Jesus followersare?” 
            Jesus, is he merely our spiritual hero, a good teacher ofmoral values, a single face among many prophets, sages, or spiritual types whomwe just so happen to choose to call our own? In this time of political battling, people are choosing sides and are choosingthe candidates they follow.  Look aroundand you will see T-shirts, bumper stickers, signs in yards, and billboardsalong the roads that proclaim a clear message, “I really like this candidate.”  “I like what he or she says, I like their economicpolicy, I like their social policy, and their plans seem to align with my plans.”  We all choose whom we will follow for avariety of reasons.  Sometimes we follow folksfor all types of reasons, such as particular writers, teachers, actors,philosophers, and even name brand products. 
            When Jesus asks us, “Who do YOU say that I am,” we must strugglewith the fact that following Jesus, is not the same thing as following apolitical candidate, a writer, actor, philosopher, or a product brand.  When Peter was confronted with the questionsof “Who do you say I am,” he responded, “YOU ARE THE MESSIAH.”  For we post resurrection Christians, this boldstatement may seem like a casual assertion, but we have to remember that Peter’sresponse was the first human statement about Jesus’ identity.  Prior to this day, only the demons  whom Jesus confronted, would proclaim who hetruly was.  With Peter’s statement, the shoutedconfessions of demons is replaced by human witness. 
            Messiah means “Anointed One” and  represents God’s affirmation that theprophet, priest, or king is divinely chosen leader of the people.  The title ‘Messiah’ in our culture can be devoidof meaning especially in a culture where kings, political leaders, andspiritual leaders are not publically anointed with oil, but are heralded byother means.  The key to an understandingof our use of Messiah lies in the nature of Jesus’ ministry.  God chooses the least likely types to be the meansof salvation.  God took on the nature ofa suffering servant to bring salvation unto God’s creation. The crucified andrisen Jesus is the only one who can be designated Lord and it is through his suffering, the heart of Jesus’ mission, that we come to know who He is.
            Sometimes like Peter, our answer to  “Who do we say Jesus is” can become distortedand confused.  We need to be very clear aboutwho Jesus is and more especially, who he is in our lives.  Following Jesus involves more than liking histeachings, offering hero worship, cheering him on as he makes the journey tothe cross.  Jesus reveals the very natureof who he is through his ministry and through it, how salvation comes to theworld. 
            “You are the Messiah,” proclaimed Peter.  Later he would profess his misunderstanding ofMessiahship , when “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.”  Peter rejected God’s plan of salvationthrough the self-giving, obedient servant-hood of God.  Peter had other plans for Jesus.  Peter was looking for a mighty king, powerfulruler, a hero who would over-turn the oppressive Roman rule, not a self-giving,obedient, loving, come follow me kind of messiah. 
            Peter’s answer to “who do you say I am” included a planthat was human and not divine.  God’s salvationcame through the humble, servant who suffered like we suffer, and yet theoverwhelming self-giving love, will overcame death and suffering.  The one God revealed in the law and prophets,is finally and fully revealed in Jesus Christ for humanity’s salvation.  In Christ, we can see plainly who the God oflove truly is.  The God who suffers, suffersthrough the journey of life along side us, as we suffer through it and yet,remains true to who God is.  Loving,giving, suffering, faithful, obedient, risk taking all with outstretched arms;  this is who God is; perfect God and humanityjoined; that is God in Christ. 
            God made real, a love that is not coercive but leaves thebeloved free and thus, the historical knowledge of God’s work in salvationhistory culminates in Christ on the cross. The relationship is restored, the chasm is no more, and by his wounds weare healed.  Christ’s ministry is one ofreconciliation and that mission is ours.
            A woman and her spouse had been having a little tiff forover two weeks over a minor disagreement. Neither were willing to put aside their own sense of “rightness” in theargument.  Neither wanted to take a riskto say, “I made a mistake.”  Neitherwanted to deny their own sense of pride and thus, the chasm between them continuedweek, after week, after week.  This is notreconciliation, this is saving your own life and in the process, losing it.  Following Jesus requires something none of usreally like to do and that is to deny ourselves.  Denying ourselves means, being willing tolose the life we consider so important, for a life lived in Christ; living forthe other.  Jesus confronts us with that newway of life and offers us a choice, whether to enter the reconciliatory natureof suffering love or remain in the chasm of self-preservation, even at theexpense of sister or brother. 
            Reconciliation is the ministry of God in Christ.  Reconciliation is the healing of woundedrelationships, which can happen only through suffering love, of dying tooneself for the sake of another. Humility, releasing our self-importance, our own sustenance for the sakeof another, heals the wounds of brokenness.  We cannot experience Resurrection Sundaywithout Good Friday.  We cannotexperience New Life without experiencing death of our old life.  We cannot participate in reconciliation,unless we can let go of our self, and become willing to embrace the other.  The cross teaches us that human relationships, which are broken by sin are reconciledby moving from self-preservation to self-giving.  The cross not only teaches,  the cross of Christ makes it a reality.
             Imagine God on thecross with outstretched arms, revealing the very person of God, who not onlycreates, but breaks into the world and makes forgiveness of our brokenness areality, and proclaims, “I love you this much.”  The entire basis of this new life Jesusinvites us to live is love, and it through us, the Body of Christ, that theworld is able to witness the reality of God’s love.  There is a beautiful hymn that seems to capturethe very essence of our mission in the world; the mission of reconciliation:
And they'llknow we are Christians by our love,We will walkwith each other we will walk hand in hand.And they'llknow we are Christians by our love,We will workwith each other, we will work side by sideAnd they'llknow we are Christians by our love,And togetherwe'll spread the news that God is in our land.And they'llknow we are Christians by our love,And we'llguard each one's dignity and save each one's pride.And they'llknow we are Christians by our love,And they'llknow we are Christians by our love,            Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?”  At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus put forward the questionto his first disciples, and today with this same question, he asks us to peer intoour own hearts and ask, “Who is Jesus to me?” With the question, comes the invitation to follow him, to take up ourcross and follow; loving each other as He loves us, loving him as he loves us.  If our gatherings, interactions, fellowship, ministry,ventures, and all that we do remain grounded in the love of Christ, the worldwill know we are Christians.  They willknow it not merely by great programs, beautiful liturgy, beloved history, andour wonderful tradition.  They will knowit only by our love. They will know it only by our love.
 
1 http://www.next-wave.org/may03/emerging7.htm

Best Friends

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     I have known Jay and Karyn Hinson for over 25 years and they have been special to me since day one.  Sitting in my newly acquired family practice office one cold, blustery winter morning in 1983, I received an urgent call from Karyn requesting I make a house call, since Jay was having significant difficulty with depression and would not come in to town to visit a physician. They were not patients of mine at the time, but it sounded serious enough that I acquiesced and found myself trudging through hip level snow into a home Jay had designed and built, known throughout the area as "the tower". We immediately became friends and eventually I wound up living with them when I went through my divorce.
     The tower was octagonally shaped and 3 floors high with sliding glass doors that opened on to balconies on the river side, allowing expansive view of Devil's Head and the Saint Croix River. The third floor which had soft carpet covered stadium seating, opened to a balcony that had a ladder leading to the roof.  The roof had a railing on which one side had a green navigation light and the other a red.  From the river this gave the appearance that the tower was a huge ship coming across the cliff to the river.
     Music was piped in to all the floors with a stereo system that Jay would claim was so exquisite "you can hear the saliva dripping from the french horns!" The second floor had a player piano which accompanied many a hoarsed voiced singer into the wee hours of the morning. Fun, romance (I treated a few rug burned knees from the 3rd floor) and drama, all combined to make this a secure refuge from the work world, but the biggest attraction was Jay, himself.
     Jay was the owner and publisher of not one but two newspapers, the Calais Advertiser and the Machias Daily News.  He is known for his articulately written cutting editorials, his intriguing photography and his love for music, jokes and storytelling. It was he who in fact sealed my fate for the love of boating. He once told me a story that put an image of boating in my mind that still fills me with the romance of boating in down east Maine.  At the time his son Eric was just a small child.  Jay, after putting up with the pressures involved with running two newspapers would come home late, bundle up his sleeping boy, and take him to the boat, "Page One".  After Eric was placed in a warm comfortable and secure  spot, jay would start the motors.  "Ralph. You have never seen anything quite as beautiful as the sparkle of the moonlight off of the splashing sea drops as you throw off the mooring line.  Its serene and liberating at the same time." he reflected.  He would then mix a cocktail, put the boat on automatic pilot, turn Frank Sinatra on the stereo and glide along the smooth moonlit water arriving at Eastport as day was dawning.
     Together we survived divorces, child rearing problems and the vicissitudes of politics in town and at the local hospital.  I have only been able to see Jay and Karyn intermittently over the last years because of my working in Texas, but at age 90 talking to Jay is as easy as when he was in his 60's.  He is still quick with a joke, a friendly smile and hug, and it is as if there is no time between our conversations...we just pick up where we left off.  I have been promising him that I would get the boat home and take him for a cruise, and last week we did .   It was thrilling to have him name and describe the islands with their own unique beaches and stories, and even though we have heard most of the jokes before...he still tells them with a flourish.

                                                                                 
                                           30 year conversation continues                                                     
                          
                                                                
                                                          Marshall, Ruth and Karyn        
                                                                                      
                                                                                       
                                                                Head Harbour Marina

                                                                
                                                             What do you see????
                


Most photographed Lighthouse....Head Harbour                                                                                    
      Jay, getting you out on Doc's Holiday has allowed me to accomplish one of my goals in coming home....Thank you and Karyn.  Don't worry I will do the night trip without you.....but I have an exquisite sounding stereo system and all the music you want to hear...just in case you want to come along!
  

The Canadians

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     Its been a long time since we got to party with our Canadian friends Joan and Brian Narrowmore.


                                                                  Joan and Brian
                                                                                   
 We introduced them many years ago and wound up at a party at my then residence ...a camp on the ledge in St Stephen's N. B.  That introduction culminated in them forming a long term relationship doing something we all swore we wouldn't do again....get married!
   We met at the boat in Eastport along with Marshall and Ruth Lucas, Joe and Cindy McMahon . and Brian's daughter and husband, Frank McCallum and Staci. They brought salads, vegetable,cheese and fruit platters and of course adult beverages and we supplied the hamburgers, hot dogs and barbecue.
    The sun was bright and warm as we left the dock at Seaview campground but the air chilled as we entered the open water to Passamaquoddy Bay and got down right cold as we exited into the Atlantic past Head Harbour Light House. This didn't deter the Canadians who sat openly on the sun pads out front, braving the chilly breeze to try and spot a whale. We glided past harbour seals, cormorants and lots of porpoise as we entered Head Harbour.


                                The Canadians!!!! Stacey, Brian, Joe, Frank, Cindy and Joan.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Head Harbour Lighthouse and "The Wolves"


                                                                               
                                                                     Harbour Seals

     Head Harbour is a scenic working  (fishing/lobstering) harbour that is very secluded and protected from the wind.  We quickly warmed up and they got the photo op of a lifetime as we exited with Head Harbour Light House standing proudly at the entrance to the bay. Joe actually knew a girl who lived at the lighthouse when she was young.  Her father was the light house keeper during the early years, before things became computerized.

                                                                                
                                                                          Joe

     We meandered through the islands around Deer Island, avoiding the ferries and struggling somewhat against the tidal currents to enter Little Letete Passage.  Rocky granite and sandstone cliffs were topped with towering evergreen trees that added an extra fragrance to the pure smelling salty sea air. The passage is narrow and though not a fiord, gives one the  uneasy feeling of being up close and personal with the towering cliffs.  We rounded the point and easily glided into an anchorage off of Pendelton Island. 
     The party began in earnest, after an impressively rapid consumption of Black Velvet Whiskey and Beer. The occasional roll of the boat from passing whale watching cruises didn't deter the dancing and frivolity on deck.  There were a few stumbles, but no significant injury and everyone was enjoying the music when Stacey decided to relive her youth and go for a swim in the frigid water of the Atlantic.  Now we are not talking a quick jump in jump out dip.....no, a true down home Canadian is much heartier...she went for a 20 minute swim around the boat.

                                                                                      
                                                                                  
     As the sun sank in the western sky we turned on Jimmy Buffett and watched from the upper deck as Joan and Brian and company danced most of the way back to dock.

                                                                                      

 They had drivers waiting for them at the dock knowing that they probably wouldn't be able to navigate safely home. With hugs and kisses we said goodbye as they playfully laughed and giggled there way up the hilly driveway to head home. Beth and I looked knowingly at each other as she commented,"I bet there will be some headaches in the morning!"
      "Probably not." I replied. "After all, they are Canadians."