The Free Catholic Messenger

2011-12-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

Pizza Man Moments

Advent 4B

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I read a story about an alleged FBI raid on a psychiatric hospital in San Diego that occurred some time ago. Whether it is true or not is unknown, but it was apparently included in a report on Global Organized Crime prepared by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

According to the report, this particular psychiatric hospital was under investigation for medical insurance fraud, so the FBI raided the place. After hours and hours of reviewing thousands of medical records, the several dozen agents had worked up quite an appetite. The agent in charge of the investigation called a nearby pizza place with delivery service to order a quick dinner for his colleagues. The following telephone conversation took place and was recorded by the FBI because they were taping all conversations at the hospital:

Agent: Hello. I would like to order 20 large pizzas and 70 cans of soda.

Pizza Man: Wow… Okay. Now, where would you like them delivered?

Agent: We're over at the psychiatric hospital.

Pizza Man: The psychiatric hospital?

Agent: That's right. I'm an FBI agent.

Pizza Man: You're an FBI agent?

Agent: That's correct. Just about everybody here is.

Pizza Man: And you're at the psychiatric hospital?

Agent: That's correct. And make sure you don't go to the front doors. We have them locked. You will have to go around to the back to the service entrance to deliver the pizzas.

Pizza Man: And you say you're all FBI agents?

Agent: That's right. How soon can you have them here?

Pizza Man: And everyone at the psychiatric hospital is an FBI agent?

Agent: That's right. We've been here all day and we're starving.

Pizza Man: How are you going to pay for all of this?

Agent: I have my checkbook right here.

Pizza Man: And you're all FBI agents?

Agent: That's right. Everyone here is an FBI agent. Remember to bring the pizzas and sodas to the service entrance in the rear? We have the front doors locked.

Pizza Man: Um… I don't think so. Click. Bzzz.

The feeling that the Pizza Man had as he participated in that conversation must have been something like the feeling that a teenage girl named Mary felt 2000 years ago when the angel Gabriel came to her and said, "Hail Mary! The Lord is with you!"

Was this a dream? Was she hallucinating? Or was this really an angel that was standing in front of her, talking to her, and telling her that SHE would conceive and bear a son… God’s Son? Mary’s initial reaction must have been very similar to the Pizza Man’s… and “You’re an angel?”

I say this because as the conversation between Mary and the Angel develops, Mary asks “How can this be, seeing that I am a virgin?” Her question was reasonable, and reflects a degree of doubt about what she was seeing and hearing. It’s a natural reaction; one that no doubt each of us would have if an angel appeared to us and told us something so seemingly impossible. We, like the Pizza Man, would probably just say something like – “Yeah, right! You’re an angel…. Okay… anything you say, bud!”

But Mary’s response in the end displays a level of trust in God and faith in God that is indeed the model for each and every one of us. The Angel tells her that “Nothing is impossible for God…” to which Mary says, “I will do whatever the Lord wants me to do…”

Mary gives herself completely to God’s Will, and we know that nine months later, she gave birth to her firstborn Son – Jesus. However, during those nine months, there were undoubtedly a number of “Pizza Man Moments” for Mary as she tried to explain her sudden pregnancy to her parents, her friends, her fiancé, her rabbi. Imagine the “Pizza Man” reaction that each of these folks had as Mary tries to tell them that she’s pregnant because an angel came and told her that she would conceive God’s own Son.

Many have rightly understood that angel’s message that “Nothing is impossible for God” extended to the conception of Jesus by a Virgin. If God, who is the author of all life, can create the universe with a single word, then he most certainly could cause a virgin to suddenly conceive and bear His Son into the world. In reality, that’s the easy part.

However, for me, those words “Nothing is impossible for God” goes further than the simple conception part. I think these words extend to all the “Pizza Man” moments that Mary would encounter as she carried this baby, and later, for the rest of her life as she explained his miraculous birth. These words convey the promise that so long as Mary was willing to say “Yes” to God, then HE would be with her, and provide for her all the grace and strength she would need as she faced the unimaginable stress and worry and fear and isolation and even being ostracized by her family and friends. She risked everything – from losing her fiancé to even being stoned to death. Yet – those words – “Nothing is impossible for God” must have brought great comfort and courage the heart of this teenage girl who changed the course of human history when she said to simple words, “I will do whatever the Lord asks me to do…”

Since the Reformation, many have misunderstood our Catholic Faith, particularly in the area of our devotion and veneration of Mary. Many see it as a form of pagan idolatry, accusing us of placing Mary above Jesus. But this is misguided, and misses the point of why I – and so many other Catholics throughout history – have placed Mary on that special pedestal… not above Christ, or even equal to Christ, but as the one person whom God used to change the world and bring to us the salvation we so desperately needed. Mary, as the Mother of Jesus Christ is indeed the Mother of the Church; and her loving, unselfish, humble, obedient, self-sacrificing life is precisely the example that we – and the entire Church – need to follow as disciples of this same Jesus, as the beneficiaries of his birth. We do not worship Mary… but we do honor her, venerate her, and call her blessed as we seek to emulate her example of devotion and obedience to God.

Mary, with God’s help through those simple words – “Nothing is impossible for God,” indeed completed this Mission Impossible, when she wrapped that little baby in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. She gives us proof that nothing is impossible for God!

Let me ask you… what Impossible Mission is God asking YOU to do? What has God asked you to do that you still have not done because it all seems too incredible, too impossible. Do you say things like - “I can’t do that!” “What will my friends think?” What will my wife or husband say?” “I can’t afford to do that, how will I live?” “I can’t do that because I don’t know how?” “I’m not qualified to be or do what God has asked me to do!”

What fears and stresses and excuses keep you from begin all and doing all that God has called you to be and do? It doesn’t have to be something as spectacular as giving birth to God’s Son, but it remains something that God wants you to do. Do you really believe that “Nothing is impossible for God!”? Do you believe, like Mary, that God can indeed do the impossible? Or is your God so small and puny, that you remain paralyzed by fear, doubts, and what others might think or say?

The same question could be, and needs to be asked of our Church. What Impossible Mission has God placed before us? What more can we do to impact this neighborhood and beyond with the Good News of God’s love? What seemingly impossible goals and projects has God placed before us, that on the surface appear to be impossible, crazy, or nuts… and appear to be full of “Pizza Man moments”?

When one considers the very existence of a Free Catholic Church smack-dab in the middle Dinwiddie County, Virginia, we find ourselves already in the realm of the impossible. When one considers that we are operating a Food Bank that has fed more than 500 people this year, we find ourselves in the realm of the impossible. When one considers that we are trying to raise up a Free Catholic Diocese in Virginia, we again find ourselves in the realm of the impossible. When one considers that we are raising up a global Free Catholic expression from right here in Central Virginia, we have already entered the realm of the impossible! And believe me… there have been lots of “Pizza Man Moments” throughout!

But God has raised us up… and placed us here to do the impossible! I know we still face lots of obstacles. It’s impossible for us to buy this or any other building. It’s impossible for us to expand our Food Bank. It’s impossible for us to establish more missions. It’s impossible for us to maintain a choir. It’s impossible for us to keep doing KidzClub or to have a Sunday School or to start other programs to benefit the community. It’s impossible for us to do more, give more, be more! And you know what – You’re dead right when you say that… it IS impossible.

But God – our GOD – is the God who turns the impossible into reality; and He uses US – the unimportant, obscure, unqualified people who, just like Mary say, “I will do whatever the Lord wants me to do…” If we retreat from what appears to be impossible; and we allow the “Pizza Man Moments” to paralyze us with fear and doubt; then indeed all that we are and need to do remains impossible and undone! However, when we allow the God of the Impossible to empower us and fill us with his Grace, then all the obstacles become opportunities. All the doubts become deeds. All the fears become finished projects. And all the “Pizza Man Moments” are transformed to “Praising God Moments” because we believe that NOTHING is impossible for God. Amen!

As we draw closer the impossible events of Christmas, that all became possible 2000 years ago because an obscure, unimportant, teenage girl believed in the God of the Impossible, let us identify what Mission Impossible God is waiting to make possible in our lives and in our Church. During this last week of Advent and the upcoming Christmas season, let each of us, like Mary, be willing to say “I will do – WE will do - whatever the Lord wants us to do…”

If we can embrace that, then we unlock and unleash all the power of Almighty God in our lives and in our Church, and HE transforms the impossible into reality. Let us follow Mary’s example, and that of so many throughout the history of the Church, by learning to Trust God, Obey God, and to let God BE God in our lives. And when we are confronted by the “Pizza Man Moments” in our lives – then all we have to do is remember – “Nothing is impossible for God…”

2011-12-20T16:43:00.000-08:00

Rejoice!
Advent 3B - 2011

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent; and you will notice that the candle for today in the Advent Wreath is pink instead of purple. That is because today is the Sunday of Joy. Advent is often referred to as a “mini-Lent” because it is a penitential season; a season of reflection, repentance, and preparation for the coming of Christ. Unlike regular Lent, however, there is a spirit of joy and anticipation that is part of our Advent observances. Each of the candles have a name – Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love – which capture this idea of anticipation. Today we celebrate Joy; but what is “Joy” and how do we have it in our lives?

People look for happiness in this life; and this is particularly true during this time of year. That is why we spend so much money on presents and decorations and preparations for Christmas. We are looking to be happy and perhaps make others happy as well. I like to be happy, as I’m sure you do; but happiness is not the same as joy. Happiness is an emotion, and is dependent upon circumstances and events at the moment.

If I win the lottery, I’m happy. If I break my arm, I not happy. If I eat a delicious meal, then I’m happy. If I get food poisoning from that meal, then I’m not happy. If I get what I was hoping for Christmas, then I’m happy; but if it doesn’t fit, or it breaks, then I’m not happy. Happiness, as an emotion, comes and goes based on based on the immediate, the circumstances that we all face in life – and usually, when good things happen to us, then we are happy. When bad things happen, then we are not happy.

The world is looking for happiness; and the entire economic system of the world – especially in America – is based on that pursuit of happiness. We want our children to be happy, so we give in to their crying and pestering, and we buy them things. This then creates a monster whereby we convince ourselves that we can buy happiness, and that we can make others happy by buying them things. We also then condition our kids to think that they can be happy because of things. It starts off innocently enough – a new doll, a new hat, a new pair of cowboy boots; but then it grows into demands for more and more…

Then, because we’ve conditioned ourselves and our kids, who then grow up with this idea that “things” can make them happy, we just go shopping when we’re depressed and unhappy. We think that all we need is a new pair of shoes, a new hat, a new shotgun, a new truck, a new cell phone, a new computer. We may not actually need any of these new things, but we convince ourselves that we DO need them. So, in order to chase away the blues, we just go shopping; and we do so even when we’ve no money with which to shop. Thank God for Credit Cards!!! Now we can be happy all the time… because instead of buying happiness, we can just CHARGE IT!

This dependence upon “things” to make us happy and keep us happy is called “consumerism” – and it is a cancer on the soul of mankind that is caustic and corrosive. It keeps us deluded and unable to deal with our reality. And it causes us to overspend and overextend ourselves, to the extent that today, we see the offspring of this – just look at how broke our economy is! And what is the solution that the Government keeps foisting upon us? Shop till you drop… it’s your patriotic duty, it will boost our economy, and it will make you feel better! You’ll be happy that you did!

This mindset of “happiness” and trying to buy it has at its root, a level of unthankful discontentment with nearly everything that we have, eat, and use.
This dissatisfaction and discontentment extends even to Christmas, and all that we buy, give and share. Just think about how many children will be crying and angry because they didn’t get what they wanted! Look at the level of depression that sets in after Christmas when the lights and trees are gone, and the bills for everything we bought start coming due. The cold, long, dark days of January come, and people are depressed. Suicide rates jump. Domestic violence increases. People are unhappy because the happiness they experienced on Christmas Day with all the new and wonderful things has passed; and what do we do? We go shopping again… and the stores are more than accommodating with after-Christmas sales, Martin Luther King Jr Sales, Presidents Day sales, Valentines Day sales, etc. etc. We are essentially a selfish, greedy, unthankful society that is not content with anything.

To me, the ultimate irony of this is the fact that Thanksgiving Day comes and goes without a whimper, all in anticipation of the first Official Christmas Shopping Day – called Black Friday. If indeed, we were content and thankful, then Black Friday would indeed be aptly named, because on Thanksgiving Day we would all sit around and see all the things we have, we would be grateful for them, and recognize – “Hey, we’re doing pretty well, and we don’t really need another thing!” So the stores and malls would be empty on the day after Thanksgiving, and it would be a bleak, black day for consumerism – because we as a people would have expressed our thanks to God for all that we have, and been content for it all.

That, my friends is the difference between Happiness and Joy. Joy is not an emotion, but rather is a state of mind, a state of existence that is not dependent upon things; nor does it rise and fall based on how we are feeling or what we are experiencing. Quite the contrary! One can be joyful even in the midst of difficult and trying circumstances. One can be joyful in the midst of poverty or plenty. One can be joyful in the midst of health or illness. One can be joyful whether one lives in a shack or a mansion. Joy, unlike happiness, is based on Contentment.
In the Second Lesson, the Apostle Paul gives us the prescription for joy, when he says, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Joy can indeed be ours if we first recognize that God is God; and that all we could ever need comes to us by His almighty and gracious hand. If we embrace that as the foundation of our lives, then we indeed will “rejoice.” This word Rejoice is, in reality, another word for Praise. A life of praise to God, a life centered on worship, on adoration, on praise to God is a life of contentment and gratitude. One of my seminary professors used to always say, “Gentlemen, the cure for care is worship.” He said this to us because he knew that we would be leading worship, and that in leading that worship, we would unlock to secret to joy for those who worship with us. They would come to us burdened by the cares of the world, and we – through leading spirit-filled, truthful worship – could help folks discover the path to real joy… the “joy unspeakable, and full of glory” that Paul talks about.

Once we have made worship the centering force of our life, then we can do what Paul suggests next – “Pray without ceasing”. Prayer is the soul’s respiration. Our spirit inhales and exhales, is re-oxygenated, by prayer. Prayer and meditation are empowering; and just like breathing fresh air invigorates the body, so too prayer reinvigorates the soul. We sense God’s presence in our lives, and joy – not happiness – JOY fills our spirit. We are communing with the God who spoke the universe into existence… and HE is walking WITH us. So, no matter what circumstances may arise – poverty, wealth, illness, health, good times or bad, through prayer – unceasing prayer – we remain invigorated and empowered and full of Joy because God is dwelling in and through us.

Then… with worship and prayer filling our lives, we can indeed do what Paul says next – “In EVERYTHING give thanks!” Notice that Paul doesn’t say “FOR” EVERYTHING give thanks, but rather, “IN”.

It’s hard to be thankful for a broken arm; but we can be thanking IN that unhappy circumstance, because we know God is still with us, He will bring healing to us; and we can be thankful that at least we didn’t break BOTH arms… or both legs for that matter. It’s hard to be thankful for poverty… but we can be thankful IN our poverty because God is with us, we are rejoicing, we are worshiping, we can be grateful for all that we do have even if it is precious little. It’s hard to be thankful FOR cancer; but we can still be thankful IN that very unhappy condition. How? By our continuing worship and prayer, we unlock the Grace of God in our lives to help us cope and deal with it… whether for health or even if it means death. And even IN death, we can still be joyful… because we have the promise of the Resurrection and of Eternal Life.

Jesus came to us to give us life, abundant life. He came to make complete our joy. Some of the most joyful and full-of-life people I know and have ever met, are those who have the least of what this world insists we need in order to be happy. Paul writes these words in today’s lesson… not from a comfortable office in some college or church somewhere, but rather, while in a Roman Prison – deprived of all comforts and all company. Yet, he is, despite his circumstances, joyful… and is trying to teach others how they too can be joyful.

If you want to be happy, then I suppose you could go on over to the Mall and spend money you don’t have on things you don’t need in the headlong pursuit of Christmas happiness. You could buy all kinds of things that eventually will end up in a landfill somewhere. You could that, and be happy for few moments or even perhaps a few day.
But, if you want to experience real Christmas JOY, the JOY that Christ came to bring us… the JOY unspeakable and full of glory… then turn your attention from yourself and point it towards GOD. Turn on your praise and worship spirit, sing songs to God, read the psalms, and just tell God how great and wonderful he is and that you truly do LOVE him. Then, empower your spirit with prayer. Then, being invigorated in your spirit, be thankful and learn the lesson of contentment. When you do these things, then you unlock the secret of JOY.

And then, instead of spending money on Christmas, you may learn how to spend TIME with your family at Christmas. Instead of reaching out with hands of greed for more and more and more, reach out a hand of tolerance and understanding, and touch the lives of those close to you and those who may have forgotten how healing the touch of a hand can be. Instead of scrunching your face up grimacing over the prices, the traffic, the noise, let the JOY of Christ radiate through your smile and patient eyes, and share this true Christmas JOY with others who may desperately need it.

And when January comes, and world is depressed and discouraged, YOU will still be full of JOY… Joy unspeakable and full of glory. YOU will still be rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks… you will be content and have a peace of mind that could never be bought at the Mall or wrapped up under a Christmas tree.

BE JOYFUL this Christmas Season!

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2011-12-20T16:41:00.001-08:00

Getting Ready for Christmas

Mark 1:1-8

Advent 2B - 2011

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Life today, especially during this time of year, seems much more hectic, faster-paced, and sometimes crazier, doesn’t it? Each day, there seems to be less and less time to get done all that needs doing, especially as we prepare for Christmas. There’s the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the Christmas Cards, the parties, and the decorations. We look at the calendar and we panic as we realize that we’re running out of time… December 25^th will be here before we know it! It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is only three short weeks away! Seems like we just had the Halloween Party, and already Christmas is nearly upon us! So much to do, and so little time to do it!

All this stress and anxiety over getting ready for Christmas seems a little ridiculous, doesn’t it? We rush around, filled with anxiety and stress, trying to get everything done in time for Christmas… as if the world will end if we don’t get it all done by midnight on 24 December! We rush from store to store, stressing about the parking, the lines, and the fact that they don’t have the right size or color.

Then add to this a good dose of what I call that good, old-fashioned, “Christmas Spirit” – you know what I mean… the specter of other stressed out shoppers – all racing and rushing from one sale to the other; fussing at their spouses to hurry-it-up; arguing with the store clerks over the prices; yelling at their tired, hungry, crying children; and all spending money they don’t have on things that they don’t need, for people who don’t really care… impatient, cranky, hateful, selfish, greedy, pushy, stressed-out folks all trying to get ready for Christmas –proudly wearing their “Keep Christ in Christmas” sweatshirts, and all presented to us to the crackling sound of Christmas music blaring over the store’s sound system. If an alien visited us from another world, and saw all this, they’d think we were all crazy; but we, as a society, do this year after year after year… racing, rushing, panicking, stressing out over one day of the year… a day on which we are supposed to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the World – Jesus Christ!

How and why have we, as a world – even as Christians – allowed this to happen? We have taken the most sacred and probably the singularly most important event in all of human history – the actual Incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ – and turned it into a vulgar display of our own greed, selfishness, gluttony, and consumption! We have taken this event of God visiting mankind to bring salvation to the world, and twisted into a hideous occasion whereby we spend all our time, energy and money getting ready – not for the arrival of the Christ, but to get ready for Santa Claus. The selfless act of God in coming to us, and the peace and goodwill of which the angels spoke on the night of Christ’s birth have been replaced by insane and the inane pursuit of self – all bought and wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree… and the only peace and goodwill that we see is the occasional, miniscule glimpse of generosity displayed amidst the tidal-wave of self-indulgence.

My friends, the event which we will celebrate in just three-short weeks is not about trees and lights; not about packages and presents; not about sales and shopping; not about rushing from one place to another; not about stress and anxiety and panic; but rather it is about God coming to us and offering us some peace, and some hope in the midst of a world gone mad over itself.

Christ came to bring peace and goodwill and hope and joy to a world enslaved by its own passions, prejudices, pride, and pettiness. Christ came to bring deliverance from what the world says is important, and show us that the Kingdom of God awaits us if we will set aside ourselves and seek after God through this same Christ. This was essentially the message that John the Baptist preached while standing in the Jordan River – “Prepare the way of the Lord – make straight his path.”

If we as a Church, as those who profess a profound faith in this same Christ, would spend less time preparing for Christmas, and more time preparing for Christ – image the changes it could bring, first to yourself, then to your family, then perhaps to your friends and even your neighbors. If we would embrace the ideals of the Kingdom of God rather than pursue the expectations of the society of men, image the peace and goodwill, the hope and joy, that we could share.

If we would shift our focus from the worldly to the heavenly, from the selfish to the self-less, from the efforts at perfection at Christmas to the promise of perfection in Christ, from the exhausting efforts to buy a little joy to the refreshing realities of experiencing real joy and real hope through this same Christ, image the change that could take place in us and in others. All the time, energy, and money spent over Christmas would then all be redirected to preparing ourselves and others for this Christ to rule in our lives and in our world, and to then baptize us with his spirit.

Imagine a Christmas celebration at your house, where Christ is ALL that celebrated. Image a Christmas where the only gifts we gave to each other were joy, forgiveness, tolerance, patience, and a little goodwill. If we would embrace THAT model for Christmas, then we, like John the Baptist and those who came to him to be baptized, would be able to say that we indeed have prepared the way of the Lord in our lives, and that we have made straight a path for the Kingdom of God to be real in the world around us.

So instead of rushing, and stressing, and panicking, and spending, in order to prepare for Christmas as the world expects us to do, let us embrace this ideal of preparing for Christ in our hearts and in our homes and in our world, and thereby experience all the joy and wonder and hope that this Season of the Year promised when Christ first came. This year, let me encourage to prepare the way of the Lord, and let all the Christmas preparations just hang. Because in the end, it won’t matter that you got an ipad or an ipod for Christmas; it won’t matter that you got a new shirt or new shoes for Christmas; it won’t matter if you have a real or artificial tree for Christmas; and it won’t matter that you had turkey or ham for Christmas.

All that will matter – all that really ever does matter – Is that you got Christ for Christmas – that you listened to the words of John the Baptist, prepared a way for Christ, and that you shared with others this Christ and all that he taught us and all that he promised. That you heeded the advice of the Scriptures, and Prepared the way of the Lord… that you make a straight path in your life, and the lives of your children, for our God to be GOD over all and in all. So instead of keeping Christ in Christmas… let us keep Christ AS Christmas and keep in the center, the entire focus of our celebrations. I think you’ll be glad you did.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sorry, But It Appears That You Missed the "Rapture"

2011-05-23T02:12:00.001-07:00

Easter 5 – 22 May 2011

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Well, based on the number of folks who are NOT here for this morning’s for Mass at All Saints, it appears the Rapture that Mr. Harold Camping predicted for yesterday indeed did happen; and that we who have gathered for Mass this morning missed it and were left behind to face the judgment that apparently has begun.

However, do not be alarmed dear friends at being left behind yesterday, because now, with so many people apparently gone, you’ll finally be able to get that parking space nearer the front door at Walmart! Carbon emissions and green-house gasses will miraculously be reduced and the planet will be saved from Global Warming since all the hot-air-wind-bags… like Mr. Camping and his ilk… are no longer here. Also, with the Rapture behind us, and Judgment now at hand with all its horrible events that should start any day now, the people who have been left behind will be even more desperate, and our Thrift Store should really thrive!

My friends, I try not to cast a critical eye or say anything too untoward about other people’s faith, but I must say that Mr. Camping, and folks like him, do more harm than good with their nutty, crazy, outrageous and outlandish pronouncements and predictions. I was talking with Deacon Tim in Texas last night (it appears he didn’t make it either!) and we were laughing about all this craziness….the millions of dollars spent by Mr. Camping and his followers on signs and billboards all around the world… the millions spend on radio and print adds. Deacon Tim said that he expects now that more people will be in Church after these fraudulent events. I told him that quite the opposite will be true, and that Mr. Camping and others like him, have just made our work that much more difficult, because the world was already skeptical enough as it was; but these ridiculous predictions have only served to heighten that skepticism and made folks that much more jaded and cynical.

All that, combined with the lazy, indifferent, selfish, self-serving, excuse-making, me-first attitude that IS modern Christianity, and our work of trying to make a difference in THIS world just got that much harder. These radical, fundamentalist zealots with their focus on the end of the world, on “heaven”, and on getting folks ‘saved’ from Hell are nothing more than charlatans and deceivers who masquerade as Christian Preachers and Christian Disciples, and who use the Bible to spread fear, create division, engender neurosis, and raise millions of dollars using tax-exemption. Is it any wonder why Christianity and the Church is in the shape that it is!

The focus of Christianity for too long has been getting ourselves, and our friends into Heaven; and is based on a handful of passages – like the one we read today in the Gospel of John about many mansions. Meanwhile, in our zeal for Heaven, we neglect the earth and the needs of millions who inhabit the earth. Karl Marx, the founder of Marxism, said that “religion is the opiate of the people.” He said that because religions in general, and Christianity in particular, have as their focus the next world and heaven, whilst ignoring the realities of the world we live in now. And he was quite right, in my opinion!

Is Jesus coming back? Well, perhaps the answer is “yes,” based on what we read in the Scriptures and say in the Creeds. But we are here now, and Jesus is here now in us… so why worry about him coming back – we need to be busy being Jesus in the world.

Are their many mansions in heaven? I suppose so, again, based on what we read this morning. However, why focus on mansions in heaven, when there are so many homeless right here on earth!

Will there be a great banquet in heaven, where we will sit down with Jesus and all the saints at what is called the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb”? Well, Revelations says so, but who can really look forward to THAT meal, when there are so many folks right here who are hungry and don’t have enough to eat today, let alone worry about some nebulous sumptuous supper in Heaven!

Will we and all the saints be robed in white garments in heaven? Again, I suppose the answer is “yes” if we accept what we read in the Scriptures. However, with so many folks wearing rags and scraping together a few bucks to buy second and third hand clothing, the promise of a white robe in heaven seems awfully fanciful and remote!

When Christ does return (which I do believe he will!), will he come as the promised Prince of Peace? Well, once more I say that I suppose so, since the Scriptures declare it. However, with wars raging all around the world, with rapes and murders ravaging our society, and with abuse and violence tearing our homes apart, my question is: “Where are the peacemakers that Jesus said we are supposed to be?” that are supposed reject warfare completely and work for peace and reconciliation between the nations and the races and the peoples of the world!

Are the streets of heaven paved with gold? Again, I suppose they are if we accept the descriptions in the Bible. But what good is heavenly gold, when poverty and ignorance keep so many enslaved in our world, and give rise to revolution and violence! What good is heavenly gold when greed and avarice compels even ordinary people – many who sit in Church – to cheat others, use others, rob others, and take advantage of the misfortunes and needs of others just to line their own pockets!

Will there be an end to sickness, disease, pain, and suffering in Heaven? Yes, according to what we read in the Bible. But what good is health in Heaven, when so many people here are sick and suffering – some from terrible conditions that could be treated, but who also have little or no access to the basic medical care they need, or the necessary funds to pay for that care. What good is a new body in heaven when so many suffer in body, mind and spirit, and the treatment they need is regulated and doled out by insurance companies who may or may not permit you seek treatment or provide coverage for your condition. We proudly proclaim that life as a God-given right in our "Constitution", but apparently a "healthy life" must not be!

Will we have the mind of Christ and know all things in Heaven? Once more, I defer to the pages of Holy Scripture, which says we will. But what good is all that knowledge and wisdom in heaven, when so many people – particularly children – right here on earth and some right here in our own county, who still cannot read, cannot write, and because of prejudice and contempt, are defrauded from having equal access to a quality education.

Will all the peoples and nations of the world be present in Heaven? Again, Revelations seems to indicate it. But what good is that, when right here on earth, we resent and even hate immigrants and complain because people won’t learn a particular language. When people of other nations and races come here looking to escape poverty, war, disease and desolation, we defraud them of basic human rights, deny them access to honest work, target them for special prosecution, and suppress them and fill them with fear – all because they didn’t get the right form or document! And all the while, in our smug, superior, selfish way, we sit on our backsides and complain that they are stealing our jobs – jobs that we wouldn’t do anyway, especially for that little bit of money.

Will there be justice and equality in Heaven? I suppose so, since we read in the Scriptures that God will judge the nations with equity and truth. But what good is that, when equality under the law so perverted, when the courts are themselves are so unjust, and justice extends to those who can afford to pay for it.

Yes, all from accounts, heaven indeed does sound like a wonderful place; but having the rapture and heaven as the primary focus of one’s faith indeed does act like opium, for it keeps us deluded and distracted and disabled and even blind to the realities of the world in which we live. This escapism brand of Christianity is, in my opinion, hateful and contrary to what Jesus stood for, preached, and taught – especially when one considers that He said, “The Kingdom of God is within you!”

My friends, I do not need the promise of heaven, or the rapture, or even the hope a resurrection to motivate me in doing what I do or to be who and what I am. I believe firmly in God, and I also believe firmly in my fellow human beings – whom God has created in his own image. Further, I believe that it is my responsibility to love God and love each and every one of my fellow human beings as much as I love myself, and to treat them as I wish to be treated. I also believe that this love for God and Others should be all the motivation one ever really needs in order to make a difference in THIS world, by helping to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, teach the uneducated, eliminate poverty, work for justice, strive for peace, and respect the dignity, equality, and human rights of every single person. I don’t need Heaven to do that! I need Jesus to help me do what is right and righteous – right here and now! And if my feeble body rests in the ground and returns to the dust, then the spirit of all I have sought to do in God’s Name for the betterment of mankind and the preservation of His Creation will live forever.

And if I do all these things and work in Jesus’ name to make a difference in the world around me, then if there indeed IS a heaven as promised in the Scriptures, then I’ll be there. If there indeed is supposed to be some kind of “rapture” – then I will go. I trust my soul to the Providential Care of Almighty God and I don’t worry about it. But if and when and until these things do happen, it is my intention to stay busy doing what Jesus wants us to be doing, and not worry about the future. No opium here…. Because my religion and faith are firmly grounded in responding to the needs of those around me and making a little heaven right here on earth.

May God silence those who make such ridiculous claims in the name of Christianity and religion, such as we have seen in recent months; and may he empower us who live by a rational, reasonable faith and religion, to be more and do more, as Christ himself would have us be and do.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I'm Thirsty - Give Me a Drink

2011-03-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

Lent 3A

In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I’ve always been amazed at how thirsty children can suddenly become, especially when it’s time to do something else! For example, it is almost bedtime; they put on their jim-jams, brush their teeth, say their prayers, and climb into bed. You give them a little kiss, say “good-night” and turn out the light, and then, just as you are about to leave the room, suddenly, they are thirsty. They have got to have a drink. I suspect, as many of you do, that this sudden on-set of dehydration has less to do with wanting something to drink, as it does with not wanting to go to bed.

Or take this example: You’re getting ready for a trip. You load up the car, tell everyone to go the bathroom, everyone is finally in the car and you start down the road. Suddenly, and without any warning, ten-minutes after getting on the interstate, the youngsters in the car are dying of thirst. I guess passing that WAWA had something to do with it! So now you are faced with a dilemma: Stop and delay your trip by another 20 or 30 minutes; or not stop and listen to them whine and pine away for lack of water for the next two hours. So you decide to stop, everyone gets their super-mega-big-gulp sodas, and a bag of chips, 15 candy bars, and you start out again… only to hear 30 minutes later – “I have to go to the bathroom!” It just goes to show that no matter how well you plan, or what you do, you just can’t win. The thirst will get you every time!

In today’s Gospel we see Jesus sitting by a well. He’s been traveling. He’s hot and tired and thirsty. A woman comes to draw water from the well, and he asks her to give him a drink. In itself, this exchange between Jesus and this woman would seem simple and normal enough, but there is something different about this exchange, that, for a number of reasons makes it radical and scandalous.

First, this woman to whom Jesus is talking is, after all – a woman! In 1^st century Palestine, women were considered inferior; so inferior that in the pegging order, they were just above dogs. Even farm animals like sheep and oxen were considered more valuable and important than women. So for a man to carry on a casual conversation with a strange woman as if she were some kind of equal was simply unheard of… it would be scandalous!

The second reason this exchange is interesting is that this woman is also a Samaritan woman! In those days, there existed a deep-rooted prejudice, even hatred, between the Jews and the Samaritans that had endured for centuries. The Samaritans were half-Jewish, half-Assyrian, because 700 years before Jesus was born, the Assyrians invaded northern Israel and forced the population into slavery and mixed-marriages. The resulting children were not purely Jewish – they were “half-breeds”. So for 700 years, the descendants of this tragedy were considered impure, unholy, dirty, and wicked, simply because their parents were forced into slavery and forced to inter-marry. For 700 years, this hatred and prejudice meant that the Samaritans were nobodies, not even really people in the eyes of the Jews, and were to be avoided at all costs.

Both of these prejudices are not unlike the prejudices we have seen, and still do see, to a large extent, right here in God-blessed, Christian, central Virginia, when it comes to how African-Americans, Latinos, Orientals, Arabs, Indians, Pakistanis, and sadly, even women are viewed and treated. One would think that after all we have learned about ourselves and about others, that this kind of prejudice and bigotry would finally be behind us… but alas! It survives and grows.

So here sits Jesus, talking with this WOMAN… this SAMARITAN WOMAN, and it is a shocking social statement – One that shocks the disciples when they see it! They are stunned; and even though they did not say anything out-loud, as recorded in the Gospel Lesson, they were thinking… “What in the world is Jesus doing talking to THAT woman?”

But there he is, talking with this woman; this Samaritan woman. Not only that… he’s really pushed the envelope by asking her for a drink! He is actually going to drink water from a dirty, stinking Samaritan well, using a dirty, stinking Samaritan bucket, given to him by a dirty, stinking Samaritan woman! Jesus is breaking all the rules! He is going against every socially acceptable norm and protocol that has been established by custom and law for nearly 700 years! But my friends, that is what Jesus did best… he shook things up… made people uncomfortable in their pride and prejudice and pettiness. He made glaring social statements – sometimes without saying a word, in order to challenge the people and force them to question themselves and their attitudes, so that when they did hear the Good News of God’s love for everyone, they would be forced to either change or reject the entire message.

It is a clear demonstration that it is impossible to hang on to your own feelings, agendas, prejudices, attitudes, arrogance, and pride whilst trying to embrace the Good News of God’s love and forgiveness. Something has to give! It is another example of the real purpose of the Gospel: to be less like ourselves, and more like Jesus if we truly want to be his disciples and followers.

But my friends, there’s more… in the course of his conversation with this woman, Jesus asks her to bring her husband to the well, so he can meet him too! Now the scandal really reaches a new level, when she says she has no husband! Jesus responds by basically saying, “You’re right! You have had five husbands, and you are now living with a man that is not your husband.”

So here is this woman… a Samaritan woman… and she’s been married and divorced five times; and is now sleeping with a man to which she isn’t married! Talk about scandalous! Talk about having reason to be outraged! Talk about having something to gossip and talk about and shake their heads in disgust about! This Woman… this mixed-race, infidel Samaritan Woman is nothing more than a flimflam-floozy… and JESUS CHRIST is talking with her!

Not only is he talking with her, he is about to offer her what he calls “Living Water” which is to say, he is extending God’s total love to her, offering her complete forgiveness of sins, offering her the hope of everlasting life! This is simply too much… it’s Shocking! Simply Shocking!

But still, there’s more… this woman; this Samaritan woman; this married, divorced, shacked-up Samaritan woman, to whom Jesus is offering forgiveness, is about to become the first real missionary of God’s Love as expressed in the Gospel! She goes back to the city and tells everyone about Jesus… and her neighbors and friends, all of whom know who and what she is, respond to her message… and they come to see Jesus for themselves. What is more, all these Samaritans come to Jesus and actually believe in him!

And, as you might have guessed, there’s even more to this story… all the people of the city of Samaria who came to see Jesus, beg and insist that Jesus stay with them for a while and teach them. So, what does Jesus do? He decides to stay for two days, and in the end, the Gospel Lesson records for us the reaction of the people… “we know that this is truly the Savior of the World!”

This woman – this socially unacceptable outcast, ends up bringing a large number of the people of her city to faith in Jesus Christ… and it all started when Jesus asked her for a drink of water. Notice he didn’t stand up and rail against the Samaritans, or even rail against this woman for all her sins and infidelity. He didn’t hold a revival meeting at the well, didn’t beg and plead, didn’t beat her – or the others – to death with the Bible, didn’t stand in judgment pointing his finger and telling them that they were all going to Hell! He simply recognized where she was, showed her God’s love, was willing to accept her – just as she was – and then sent her to gather others so they too could experience this “Living Water” of forgiveness, hope, love, joy, and peace.

Jesus pushed aside the barriers, knocked down the walls of prejudice and ignorance and hatred that separate people, and completely ignored what was socially acceptable. He did the radical thing; and the results speak for themselves, in the reaction of the citizens of Samaria!

It is interesting to me that this story follows the Gospel Lesson from last Sunday, in which Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life…. For the Son of man came not to condemn the world, but that through him, the world might be saved…”

If ever there was a day when these words needed to be lived-out, it is today! If ever there was a day when these words were again needed as the hallmark for the Church, it is today! If ever there was a day when this radical, counter-cultural approach to Christianity were needed, it is today! If ever the world was in need of Christians who lived and acted and prayed and shared their faith in this fashion, this radical, loving fashion, just like Jesus did, expects us to do… free of judgment, free of prejudice, free of condemnation, and free of petty self-righteousness – my friends – It is today!

All around us, there are people just like this Samaritan Woman, who thirsty for something, they are looking for something to satisfy their hearts, calm their spirits, and bring a little hope and peace of mind. But like the Samaritan Woman, they are different, they have made what many call “mistakes,” their lives do not measure up to some nebulous concept or picture of perfection, and who feel like they have no hope… so why bother. Why bother going to Church only to be talked about, gossiped about, patronized, ignored, and perhaps denied equal treatment, or worse, refused access to the Sacraments because their lives are not perfect. Why bother to be a Christian because so many Christians are no better, no different, and no more like Christ than they are? Many folks in our world say, “Why bother wasting time looking for something like Christianity, that is supposed to make my life better, give me hope, and bring me peace, when so many Churches filled with selfish, prejudiced, gossiping, petty, trifling, small-minded-little hypocrites that sing the hymns and say “amen” but don’t really give a flip about anybody else, and don’t really live or behave or act any differently than anyone else!” The only difference is that they may have been baptized, they attend Church on occasion, maybe show up for a special event or luncheon, and maybe throw a dollar or two into the offering plate; but besides that, there is little or no difference between them and the folks who are at Walmart this morning without the first thought of Jesus Christ in their life.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ!” and Mark Twain said, “What a hell of a heaven it will be when they get all these hypocrites assembled together there!”

And the sad truth is that this does indeed describe many Churches and so many more would-be Christians, who are more concerned about their clothes, vacations, the stock market, the economy, the presidential race, the price of gasoline, what we are going to do this weekend, or all of the other things that keep so many totally distracted, totally dysfunctional, totally indifferent and completely ineffective as the messengers of hope, love, joy, and peace.

Sure, we say that we believe all this stuff, but do we live like and behave like we actually believe it? For example, we talk of justice and peace, but do little or nothing to actually promote it or bring about change! We express pity for the refugees and those who are escaping war, poverty, disease, death, and destruction, but only so long as they don’t come here and take our jobs; and if they DO come here they better learn English or just go back home!

We talk of equality, but want nothing to do with those folks from that part of town. We talk of peace, while waving the flag in one hand and a cross or bible in the other, sending our boys and girls off to fight illegal and immoral wars in foreign lands, and screaming slogans like, “bomb them back into the stone-age!”

We talk of democracy, yet resent any and all efforts to increase voter registrations amongst the so-called “minorities” and “immigrants” who might take over the county! We talk of tolerance and acceptance, but as soon as we see someone who is different, or lives a different life-style than us, or worse… actually comes to Church, we shun them and talk about them. If the Samaritan Woman walked into many of our Churches today, she would be put out before the invocation, or ignored completely during the Peace; and then after all the self-righteous folks said “Amen” and “Thanks be to God.” They would also say something like, “I can’t believe THAT woman showed up here!”

We talk about Church, and want our Churches to not only survive, but to grow, while at the same time not making it a priority. Sure, Church is okay, when there is something fun or interesting happening there, or if there’s time; but normally, we are too busy, too tired, and too distracted with our own lives, entertainments and agendas to regard the Church with any more devotion than is absolutely necessary. We expect the Church to provide for the needs of the community, like the Food Bank, but we spend more on cable TV, cell phones, and pizza than we give to support the mission of our Church.

As Christian parents, we worry about our kids and all the trouble and temptations they face in this world, and while telling tell them that they can decide for themselves whether or not to go to Church; or worse, we set an example that suggests that living for God is optional based on how I feel today, and that Church is just an another alternative activity, like going to a baseball game or shopping. It’s just one more thing that we can do, if we feel like it – If we’re not too tired, or don’t have anything else planned.

And then we wonder why the world is in the shape that it is! And what is the typical “Christian” response to all the difficulties, problems and mess in our world? We say trite little things like, “Bring back school prayer” – “Put the Ten Commandments back in our Schools and Courts” – “Pass a law.” “Write your congressman to protect our religious rights!” In short, we look to the Government to fix it… to bring back and safeguard some ideal of morality and decency and faith. We want Congress to be the messenger of morality, and the president to be the proper example of decency and faith; and if there is even a hint that the President might not be a “true, right-wing, fundamentalist, conservative, Bible-thumping kind of Christian” then he must not be a Christian at all!

We are outraged at the thought of removing “one nation under God” from the pledge of allegiance, and outraged at the suggestion of removing “In God we Trust” from our currency… but where’s the outrage at ourselves for not being “One Family under God” – that prays and worships and gives and lives as if the message of Christ really is just that important in our lives?” Where is the outrage at ourselves for not living out “In God We Trust” at home, not only for our salvation but for everything else we need in this life, and then setting that example for our kids? Instead of reintroducing Prayer in School, why not start by introducing prayer at home for a change?! Instead of posting the Ten Commandments on the halls of our schools and government buildings, why not post them in our homes, and then teach them and live them for our kids to see?

We talk of loving God with all our hearts and loving our neighbor as much as we love ourselves… but do we really do these things! Or is God just a great big Santa Claus in the Sky from whom we beg for this and that; the Church nothing more than a cultural center, support group, and extension of the Social Services department that should give me what I want and provide all kinds of programs; and loving my neighbor nothing more than an opportunity for building a larger customer base and finding ways to further exploit them? This is sadly, what Christianity has been reduced to, and the people of the world suffer for it.

The level of devotion that we have for Christ is demonstrated by how faithful we are to his ideals, his principles, his commandments, his tolerance, his patience, his acceptance, his forgiveness, his sense of justice, and his willingness to shatter the comfortable, complacent, self-righteous little worlds in which we live. We just can’t live any way we want to, be casual about our faith, and be more interested in everything else in our life, and still expect to honor Christ and convince others that HIS is the pathway to real peace, joy, and hope. And the whole message of Lent is to remind us of that fact. We can’t live like everyone else, remain unchanged and unchallenged, continue to be indifferent to the needs of those around us, hold onto our pride, pettiness, and hypocrisy, and still expect to call ourselves Christians. If we want to be Christians, then we have to be like Christ. It’s just that simple!

Do we demonstrate the same level of gratitude and even enthusiasm for Jesus as this Woman at the well and even all the people of Samaria did in this morning’s Gospel? Do we really believe that Jesus is the one who can make a difference in us and then empower us to make a difference in our world? Do we really believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one, who brings forgiveness and hope? If so, then we need to live like we do! We need to be like Jesus who offered the Samaritan Woman “Living Waters” and share with others that same “Living Water”. We have to deny ourselves and adopt a radical, counter-cultural approach to being a Christian that makes us different – so different that everyone else can look at us and say – “WOW! Those folks really do get it… they really do believe!”

If we miss this opportunity afforded to us during Lent to really make some changes in our attitudes and behaviors, and determine to be different, determine to be less like ourselves and more like Christ, then all this will have been a great waste of time for everyone – including Jesus! If we still hold onto our pettiness, indifference, prejudice, intolerance, contempt for others, and are unwilling to work to be different and make a difference in the world, then Jesus will have wasted his time coming to earth, teaching his message, and dying on the cross in order to save us from ourselves and offer us any hope at all.

Let me encourage you to take a look inside yourself, and determine whether all this is really real to you, or if you’re just going though the motions. Do you really know Jesus and really love Jesus? If so, then determine that Jesus is going to be first in your life, and start living that way – every day – all year long. And if you do, then you will have discovered the same thing that the woman at the well discovered… Springs of Living Water that bring everlasting joy, love, peace, and life. My friends, the world is thirsting for something… let’s give them a satisfying drink of this Living Water… let’s show them and give them Jesus! Amen.

I've Got New Sneakers!!!

2011-03-14T18:47:00.001-07:00

Lent 1A (2011)

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today is the first Sunday in Lent; a season of reflection, repentance and renewal for those of us who have been baptized into Jesus, and who seek to follow him, seek to do his will in the world, and seek to be more like him and less like ourselves. Lent is an important time for the Christian and the Church. Lent is the annual “wake-up” call; and it gives us the opportunity to evaluate our priorities, examine our motives, and see how well we measure up to the expectations that Jesus has for us – and then do something about any deficiencies we identify in our Christian walk. It can be a time of renewal, revival, and reinvigoration – both individually as well as corporately.

I referred to Lent as the annual “Wake-up Call” for Christians and for the Church. When we consider the example that Jesus set for us, and recognize how short we all sometimes come in following that example, it should cause us to first – seek his forgiveness, which he is always ready to provide; and second – motivate us follow in his steps more closely. Lent has traditionally been viewed by many, as a dreary and dark season; one that can depress us, and make us feel that we can never really measure up. While it is true that Lent can and should be a time when we do acknowledge our failings, seek reconciliation, and identify areas in our lives and churches where we need to improve, it can and should also be a time of joy.

When we remember just how much God loves us in sending Jesus to us; and when we consider just how wonderful and far-reaching his grace really is, it should cause us celebrate. So, while Lent can and should be a time of careful reflection, repentance, and reconciliation, it can and should also be a time in which we rediscover the joy of our salvation!

I think the lessons for today support this theme. They all speak of just how far God is willing to go – despite OUR rebellion and disobedience – to restore us to proper relationship with him.

In the First Lesson, we see the classic tale of Adam and Eve and the Fall of Mankind from Grace. There’s really only one point that I like to focus on in this story, which is that if Adam and Eve were so perfect and they could still mess up like this, how much more so we! And that God, in his Love and despite having his whole creation spoiled by this simple act of disobedience was still willing to forgive and restore Mankind, then the Church – as the messenger of that same love, forgiveness and restoration needs to be just as willing. This, my friends is where the Church has failed for centuries. Sure, there’s all kinds of pathways and programs for “reconciliation” – but until you get through them all and finish paying for all your mistakes, you’re nearly broke and it’s almost time to start over again with a whole new batch of mistakes!

I believe the Church has failed to fully appreciate just much God does love us, and just how much God has entrusted to us, as the Church, with this message! This is not an opportunity for power, control, or making money - as has been the case for centuries; but rather, it is an opportunity to demonstrate the depths of God’s love, compassion and grace to the people of the world without penalty, prejudice, power, or payment. To demand payment for reconciliation, or to set folks aside for a period of time to test their sincerity, to excommunicate and exclude folks because of mistakes, or to welcome some folks only half-way back by taking their money without giving them access to the sacraments is not, in my opinion, what God had in mind when we had compassion of Adam and Eve, or on the entire human race, when he sent Jesus.

By sending Jesus – as the second Lesson points out – we see just how far God was willing to go to rescue his most precious creature – man! This Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us. His obedience garnered righteous for us! Let me share with you an image of this whole thing… of just how much God loves us and was willing to rescue us.

Imagine, if you will, that you are on your way to a very important event, and on your way, while wearing your best sneakers, you step in great-big-pile of dog feces… “poop” for those who don’t need the technical term. Now, you’ve got all this of “dog poop” all over your shoes… and it’s worked itself into every little crack and groove in the sneaker’s tread, and has even stained the sides and everything. It’s a mess!!! To make matter worse, once you realized that you’ve stepped in it, you try to move aside, but step in it again with the other foot. Now, you’ve got a real mess…. how do you fix it?

The humanist, with all his self-reformation and self-help will try to get as much off by rubbing it in the grass and hope that no one notices. Not very effective, because it still stinks, it still is in the cracks and tread, and you still have the stains.

The Church, in its “traditional approach” will take a stick and try to scratch out as much as it can without touching it, or may even tell you to take off your shoes and tell you wait outside until they can be washed and dried before you can continue on your way; but now you have no shoes, have to wait until the Church says they’re “clean,” and will label you as the “one who stepped in dog poop.” When the big day comes, you then may have to pay for having to have your shoes washed.

However, Jesus, in his compassion and grace, reaches down with his own hands; takes your stinking, dirty shoes off your feet and in the process, gets the dog ‘poop’ all over his hands. He then gives you his own brand-new shoes and puts your stinking, dirty shoes on his own feet so that YOU can keep going and get to your important event. He then tells you, “Now, just watch your step and try to avoid the next big pile of dog ‘poop’”!

That, my friends, is what it means when we read that Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us. The “poop” that we all step in from time to time, is just like the sins and mistakes we all make from time to time… it stinks and stains. But Jesus takes our sins and keeps us going on our way… all the way to Heaven. And he tells us, “Go and sin no more!” - “Avoid the next pile of poop.” And even if we do step in it again, he reaches down, and does it all over again for us.

That my friends, is exactly what the Church is supposed to be doing in – Jesus’ name. Not using sticks and tricks and gimmicks, or telling you to sit outside and wait; or worse – telling you that your particular kind of “poop” or ‘sin’ is just too stinky and hard to remove completely so you can never again really enjoy the fullness of Grace that comes through the Sacramental life – unless of course you have the money to pay for extra-cleaning. So many people have run into this “churchy” approach to “mistakes” and “dog poop” in their lives; and the result is that they are neglected and ignored by those who have the means – US – to hand out brand-new sneakers in Jesus’ Name.

If the Institutional Church would be more willing to stoop down and touch the “poop” in people’s lives, and live out this message of Jesus’ compassion, grace, and complete forgiveness, perhaps more people would be in Church growing in Grace instead of sitting at home watching the race. Perhaps Christianity would have made such a huge difference in the world by now, that hunger and wars and injustice would all have been reduced or even eliminated. Perhaps even more people would have been so empowered by Word and fed by Sacrament as to help them resist temptation – as Jesus demonstrates for us today in the Gospel – and would have avoided some of the really big piles of ‘poop’ in their lives.

My Friends, Lent is a time to hear again and to appreciate that wonderful message, that, if by one man’s disobedience – Adam – we all are condemned; and if by one man’s obedience – Jesus – we all can be righteous; shouldn’t that fill us with gratitude and joy, and motivate us to share with as many people as we can what we have experienced!

This Lenten Season, instead of focusing on the mistakes of our past, let us wear with pride and joy the “new sneakers” that Jesus has given us, and strive to avoid the “piles of poop” out there. Let us show-off these “brand-new sneakers” that are taking us to Heaven, so that others will want a pair, and will allow Jesus to reach down and change their shoes too! Let us celebrate with gladness and joy the redemption that is ours – not by our own doing, or achieved by sticks and tricks, but granted to us freely, graciously, and completely by our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ our loving Lord. And let us commit ourselves to being the kind of Church that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty and stinky while caring for the needs and souls of those around us. If we can do all this, then this Lenten Season will indeed be one of renewal and revival for us all.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Cure for Care

2011-02-28T04:33:00.000-08:00

Epiphany 8A
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Yesterday, I saw a miracle! The crocuses in our front yard bloomed. So too, several of our daffodils! In the garden, the peas are poking up through the soil, and the lettuces and radishes are growing like crazy! All around our house, we saw miracle after miracle right before our very eyes.

These may not seem like miracles to many. They certainly are not as flashy and spectacular as weeping statues or bleeding pictures of saints that draw so many of the devout flocking to see them or from which to obtain some cure for a disease; but they are miracles none the less!

Every year at this time, the earth comes alive again with the budding of plants, the greening of the grass, and the opening of flowers. Plants begin their cycle of life, which gives us life; and they provide us with such a dazzling array of colors and variety, that even the most talented artist cannot duplicate. These tiny miracles, the miracles of Spring I like to call them, speak volumes about the goodness, wonder, and love of God, our Creator; and they provide evidence of his existence and of his Providence in providing for our needs.

When I consider the wonders of all creation, which, despite our advanced scientific knowledge, still are beyond the reach of complete understanding by man, I am reminded that God is God, and that God is Good! While it is true that we as humans have made staggering advances in understanding the world and the universe, and that we may be able through this knowledge and technology to map the genes, split the chromosomes, and smash the atoms, we still cannot create – on our own and from scratch – one single gene, chromosome or atom. The best we can do is to duplicate and manipulate what God can do with a single word; and even then, our duplications and manipulations pale in comparison to the original works of God.

I am reminded of a cute little story about how the Devil went to God one day, to again assert his equality. So, God agreed to give the Devil the opportunity to demonstrate his power. God said, “I think I’ll make a man.” So God reached down, grabbed a handful of dirt, and created a man from the dust of the ground. The Devil said, “Oh, that’s easy! Just watch this!” As the Devil began to scratch together a little pile of dirt to begin making his version of a man, God said, “Um… just a minute… you need to use your own dirt… not mine!” With that, the Devil left, frustrated once more by the sublime and awesome power of God.

We take so much of what we see around us for granted; and in our search for spectacular and flashy miracles as evidence of God’s power and provision, we overlook all the joys and wonders of the Creation that are right in front of our eyes and that speak volumes about that power and provision. For my money, the opening of a simple crocus is just as powerful and spectacular a miracle as Jesus walking on the water. While it may not be as flashy, it certainly is more relevant to where we are today. We were not there when Jesus walked on the water, and have only the report of it as recorded in the Gospels, and we accept in "on faith" as true; but we see before us each and every day, the power, majesty, beauty, and goodness of God in the miracles of his Creation. These little miracles… the crocus, the daffodils, the peas and radishes, the birds returning from their migrations, even the pollen from the trees that we will all soon suffer through, do more to bolster my faith in God and to bolster my dependence and gratitude for God in providing all that I need, than all the stories of miracles past.

If we could grasp just how wonderful God really is, how much he cares for us, and how much he does for us (that we take for granted), we would have an entirely different understanding of our relationship with the Creator; and have an entirely different view of our place in the world and in the great Kingdom of God. This different view and understanding would shift our priorities around, and compel us to be more and do more for the glory of this great God.

This is precisely the point that Jesus is trying to make in today’s Gospel lesson. He tells his disciples that their focus is all wrong, which skews their priorities. They, like us, have been taught that prosperity equates to success, and that having "things" is a measure of status. In our consumerist, capitalist, greedy, selfish world view, we strive and kill ourselves - and even kill others, so we can obtain “things.” We want the best clothes, the best cars, the biggest houses, the latest gadgets, the flashiest electronics, the best food, and so much more. Sadly, we are never really content, even when we have achieved these “best” items and things. We always strive for more; and in our striving for “things”, we miss the point of what life, and a life of faith, are really all about. We miss the miracles all around us.

The “heathens,” Jesus says, are the ones who strive for these “things” always asking what we will eat, what will we drink, what we will wear, and where we will sleep? He points to the Creation, the flowers of the field which are more spectacular than Solomon in all his glorious splendor. He points to the birds, and reminds the Disciples that God in his goodness, feeds them. He asks the disciples if they, by stress and worry, can add a single minute to their life span; and if they cannot do so small thing as that, why worry about food and drink. Is not life more than food and drink?

Jesus says that our striving needs to be focused upon God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness, and everything else that we need, will be provided. This Kingdom of God and His Righteousness of which Jesus is speaking, is not about Heaven, nor is it about the self-serving, sanctimonious striving for religious purity. I think Jesus is talking about striving to establish God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness right here – on the earth, so that in the end, we will enter Heaven where God’s Kingdom is a reality and where He already rules in Righteousness. He has given to us, as His Ambassadors, the authority to make a little bit of Heaven right here and now.

For those of us who embrace the message of Jesus Christ, this striving for the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness should manifest itself, not in self-congratulatory pats-on-the-back because we are “saved” but rather, it should manifest itself in the form of justice, peace, and equality that we strive for and promote. It should manifest itself in our care for the Creation, which God has entrusted to us, and from which we all are fed – whether we grow our own food, buy it at the market, or receive it from a food bank. This striving should manifest itself in our efforts to treat others with dignity and respect as reflections of the Creator, whose image is impressed upon each and every human being. This striving should manifest itself, not in greedy, selfish, grasping, avaricious efforts to have more and buy more, but to be more and do more for God and for others. In doing this, in striving for the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, we will in fact, be establishing His Kingdom here, and implementing in real and powerful ways, the two Great Commandments – to love God and to love others; and we will be the beneficiaries of God’s benign and benevolent provision for all that we need in life… food, clothes, homes, and peace.

My friends, does it really matter if this provision for clothing comes from Macy’s or Goodwill? Does it matter that this provision for food comes from prime rib or hamburger helper? Does it matter that this provision for shelter comes from a big house or a simple trailer or apartment? I say "no"… for God our Creator will take care of us, and provide for us, if we will strive – not for the big house, or fine clothes, or prime rib, but for His Kingdom and His Righteousness. If we will do justice, love mercy, practice contentment, work for the common good, and reflect Jesus Christ to the world in all we do – we will then know the power and provision of God in our lives.

We will also experience and appreciate all the little miracles – those little Spring miracles – and the Summer, Fall, and Winter miracles as well, that point to the very existence, providence, majesty, and power of Almighty God. We will be more content, more stable, more caring, less stressed, less selfish, and our lives will be more in line with what Jesus taught us. We will also ennoble others and raise them up to this same, lofty plain… where success is not measured by prosperity but by compassion, and wealth is not counted in dollars but in blessings.

Sound idealistic and impossible? Perhaps; and it will remain idealistic and impossible, so long as we are unwilling to change our focus and allow that to change our priorities. Until then, we are no better than the “Heathens.” By comparison to this “idealist view” just look at the condition of the world today, and the destruction of society and of the economies, that has been brought upon us by our own greedy, selfish, avaricious striving for things. The nations of the world are bankrupt; and families are homeless, unemployed, and destitute… because we tried to have it all and buy it all - even if we had to charge it and mortgage our future and our children's future. We have been striving for the wrong things… and have done a great injustice to ourselves and to others by this striving as the "Heathens" do. When we strive for “things” that can be lost, eaten, stolen, or destroyed, we miss the “blessings” of what can last forever, and lose the opportunity to make a real difference in the world around us.

My friends, if you are stressed, worried, and filled with the cares of this life – of what to eat – what to drink – what to wear – and where to live; of how you are going to make it; or it you have been striving for money and things as a measure of your success and importance, then let me invite to take a good look around you and see all the miracles that point to God and His Providential Care for us. Then allow these miracles and the words of Jesus to change your focus, change your priorities, and propel you to strive for God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness in all that you do. Then, share these miracles and blessings with those around you, so that they too can experience God and begin their own striving for His Kingdom. This, my friends, is the best cure in the world for all our cares, stresses, and worries; it is the key to grateful contentment; and it is the way that God has always intended for us to live. Amen.

Love Your Enemies

2011-02-21T01:57:00.001-08:00

Epiphany 7A

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

In his book, “The Keys of the Kingdom” A.J. Cronin tells the story of a simple Scottish priest named Francis Chisholm, who goes to China as a missionary in the late 1800’s. He spends most of his life there, struggling with poverty, plagues, and constant civil war, but manages to build a strong little mission, with an orphanage, school, clinic, and of course a church. The story is fiction, but draws heavily on Cronin’s knowledge of the Church and of history, to present a compelling and accurate story that includes many of the inconsistencies of Christianity, especially as viewed by those who first hear the Gospel message.

Two constant themes surrounding these inconsistencies are presented throughout this story; first, the level of suspicion, bigotry and outright hatred that exists between members of different “Christian” denominations; and second, the attitudes of Christians towards conflict and wars. All through the book, the response of the Chinese people towards this religion of love, tolerance, salvation, and forgiveness – called Christianity – is one of complete confusion.

At one point in the book, during another of those countless Chinese civil wars, Father Chisholm’s mission faces complete destruction by an artillery battery. This battery has killed and wounded many in the neighboring city, and thousands flee as refugees. The decision is made to attempt to destroy the big gun in order to save lives and the mission. Father Chisholm and an officer of the opposing army who is disguised as a peasant, make their way in the darkness to the artillery battery carrying canned foods and money that have been demanded by the commander of the battery as a bribe; but in the bundle are really explosives and a can of gasoline.

The idea is that the “peasant” would place the bundle close to the big gun, fire a pistol into the gasoline, and blow up the gun; but when he fires, the gasoline does not ignite. A struggle ensues, and Father Chisholm throws his torch into the leaking gasoline, which causes a tremendous explosion, and which knocks him unconscious. When he comes around, he discovers that the gun has been destroyed, but so too, all the soldiers of the battery. In their haste to save the big gun, they got too close and were caught in the explosion and killed. The Chinese officer disguised as a peasant is thrilled, but Father Chisholm is horrified. He is relieved that the gun has been destroyed, but in the process, discovers that he has violated his most sacred principle by killing others. To add to this horror, the peasant officer, drawing from his observations of the inconsistencies of Christianity, states that he has never seen such a wonderful killing, and that another such killing like that, and he too would become a Christian.

Two weeks ago, I talked about the state of Christianity and the Church, and the level of inconsistency the world sees, which keep our light from shining. Today’s Gospel lesson, a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, shows us in clear, uncertain terms, how we are supposed to live, love, and forgive. Jesus is careful to make the case that loving those who love us is in reality doing nothing; but, if one desires to be a true disciple, a true Christian, then one must learn to love ALL others, including those we often consider “enemies.” We must learn to forgive ALL others, and pray for them, including those whom we consider “enemies” and those who take advantage of us. This is a tall order, but these are the words of Jesus himself, whom we a Christians have vowed to follow and obey as our Lord and Savior. Yet despite these clear instructions from Jesus, we continue to see bigotry, hatred, wars, and even “excellent killings” on the part of those who profess this Savior and Lord.

To give another example of this gross inconsistency, we come closer to home. This is Black History Month in the United States; and I remember those early days when this observance, along with a national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were both first being discussed. The level of acrimony and outright hatred that I heard and saw on the part of many white Christians in their opposition to such an observance or holiday, were shocking. I heard “Church folks” say they would NEVER observe Dr. King Day, and certainly wanted nothing to do with Black History month. Several years later, while teaching school, I wrote a poem for my students called “The Dream” in celebration of Black History Month, which was published in a book of poems. If you will indulge me, I’d like to share that poem with you today…

The Dream

(Written in celebration of Black History Month)

We started out as slaves

in the "Land of the Free,"

Herded onto crowded ships,

filled with misery,

We came across the ocean

from our native lands,

They sold us at the auction block

and placed us in iron bands.

They worked us and they beat us

and the split our family,

They tried to take our honor,

and our pride and dignity.

But our character was strong,

and our faith was supreme,

And now we're finally free,

living out a sacred Dream.

After centuries of struggles

and courageous fights,

The children of those early slaves

today have civil rights.

The heroes of that early fight

to set us all free,

Include the names of Tubman,

Douglass and Booker T.

The framers of the sacred Dream

to which we all cling,

Include the names of Marshall,

and Parks, and Dr. King.

But we have to work together

to keep that Dream alive,

And build a world where freedom

really has a chance to thrive.

A world in which the ignorance

and the hatred we still face,

Is replaced by equal treatment,

without regard to race.

Cause that Dream will only stay a

dream, and not reality,

So long as men are only free,

and lack equality.

Many of my African-American friends were surprised to learn that a white man had written such a poem, but were thrilled none-the-less. They were curious by my use of the word “WE” in this poem. I stated that so long as just one person is enslaved, we all are slaves by the injustice of the whole. However, their joyful surprise was nothing compared to what I encountered from many of my white friends, who also being “Christians,” were shocked that I should take to writing poems for “them folks”. (Of course, their phrase was not “them folks” but was the “N” Word.)

My friends, there is no excuse, no possible justification, for those who call themselves Christians, to harbor such bigotry and prejudice against black, Jews, or anyone else for that matter.

Immediately following these events, in response to my dismay and disbelief at the way in which I was maligned for writing such a “hateful” work, and to point out the gross inconsistencies I observed and experienced, I sat down and wrote another poem based on the old hymn, “Take My Life and Let it Be, Consecrated Lord to Thee”. I would like to share that poem with you, as well.

Take My Life

Take my life and let it be,

Alcohol and tobacco free,

With no dancin’ or other fun,

Down to the corner church I run.

But when I get there, you better look out,

Cause I can lie and I can pout.

With my Bible in my hand,

I'll sing the hymns while we all stand;

And at the “Amen,” we’ll all file,

Past the Pastor with a smile,

Then we’ll gossip ‘bout everyone,

Tellin’ tales ‘til the setting sun.

We’ll say a prayer before we rest,

To say “I’m Sorry” and be blest,

But in the morn if it don’t rain,

I’ll show the world I’m “born again”.

Cause I don’t smoke and I don’t drink,

And I don’t dance, and I don’t stink,

And I don’t curse, and I don’t swear,

And I don’t go with ‘them’ from ‘there.’

But I’ll gossip some and tell a lie,

And cross my heart and hope to die,

And hate my neighbor on the way,

And laugh at those who’ve “gone astray”

And take offense at the smallest stuff,

And bear a grudge and be real gruff,

But at least I’m sober and I’m clean,

Even though I’m downright mean.

So take my life and let it be,

Alcohol and tobacco free,

And when I die, I’ll feel so proud

When they wrap me in my burial shroud.

And I’ll stand before the Pearly Gate,

To hear my name called while I wait

‘Cause I was “Christian” thru and thru,

There’s room for me but not for you.

And when I hear the tragic news,

That some who smoked and drank some booze

Will enter Heaven after all,

I’ll stand alone, and there I’ll ball.

‘Cause despite my list of “don’ts and do’s”

I had no love for Blacks or Jews”.

I hated those I sat beside,

While singing songs of Eastertide.

So take my life and let it be,

Alcohol and tobacco free,

But free from sin and free from shame,

Could have been mine...

...through Jesus' Name.

We teach our Children that little song, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world! Red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” However, when one considers the realities verses our rhetoric, and when one takes into account the condition of the world with all its injustice, prejudice, and hatred compared to the sanctimonious hypocrisy that seeks to gloss over all these attitudes, it does gross injury to the cause of Christ, and makes his teachings nothing more than nice words which go unpracticed and unfulfilled in this world – by many who claim to be his disciples.

Another area in which we see such sanctimonious hypocrisy is that of war. I have been much impressed by the grass-roots demonstrations that we have seen in Wisconsin this past week, by workers who are protesting wage and benefit issues, and attempts to undermine their right to organize. However, I have also been greatly dismayed, that so many would turn out for a protest over wages and benefits, yet not one real protest or demonstration has been organized against the never-ending, immoral, and illegal wars that this country is waging in Iraq and Afghanistan (and now also in Pakistan!), which are killing thousands and bankrupting the nation. We are told that the war in Iraq is over, yet this morning I read that more troops from Fort Lee are going there! Why? We should be outraged, but we are silent. I mentioned this lack of national outrage to the wars to someone, and their response was “Do you want the Muslims to take over the world like they did Jerusalem and the entire Middle East!” As shatteringly ignorant as that statement is, I have heard it made by others as well… who also happen to be Christians. The so-called “War on Terror” has be reduced, in reality, to a war about resources (oil and minerals) and a war against the “infidels” – in the minds of both Christians and Muslims; and the irony is that both religions pride themselves of being religions of peace, love, tolerance, and forgiveness.

Are there extremists? Absolutely! But there is absolutely no difference between the Radical Muslim who is prepared to blow himself up in order to kill Americans, and the Radical Christian who is prepared burn the Koran and cheer the killing of Muslims by drones and bombs. They are each guided and controlled by a visceral hated of the other – in large part, based on ignorance and fear of their different religions of peace, love, tolerance, and forgiveness.

We are followers of Jesus… and we have taken baptismal vows as Christians to follow and obey him as Lord and Savior. We have also vowed in that same baptismal covenant, to strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being. These vows are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ himself, who said…

- Turn the other cheek.

- Pray for those who take advantage of you.

- If you are sued for your shirt, give them your coat as well.

- If you are forced to go one mile, go two.

- Forgive others so you may be forgiven.

- Pray for those who persecute you.

- And also, Love your enemies.

I’m sorry friends, but these words leave little room for justifying bigotry, hatred, intolerance, prejudice, racism, revenge, retaliation, or even war for that matter. They leave no room for Christians of one denomination to condemn or malign Christians from a different denomination. If we would be the Children of God, as Jesus suggests, then these ideals that Jesus teaches are the things we must not only read about and say “Amen” to, but believe and practice as well, so that we, as Jesus said, may be “perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect.”

Let me encourage you to examine your life, attitudes, and actions, and hold them up to the mirror of what Jesus is saying to us this morning in the Gospel Lesson. Then, if you discover attitudes and actions that appear to be in conflict or inconsistent with these teaching, let me encourage you to call out to this Savior you have embraced, for the grace and courage you need to change these attitude and actions. We may not be able to end all hatred, wars, and prejudice in the world, but perhaps we can do so in our own small part of it. It all begins when each one of us make the conscious decision to be part of the solution, and not remain part of the problem. Then, little-by-little, we may actually see the kind of revival in Christianity that so many are praying for. May God grant us all this measure of grace and courage to “…be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect.”

How's Your Love Life?

2011-02-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

Epiphany 6A
In the Name of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Well, today is Valentine’s Day; the day on which men all around the country will be expected to buy flowers, candy, jewelry, and anything else so that they may prove their love and demonstrate that they are indeed, romantic. Men, I hope for your sakes, that you are ready! Don’t make the mistake that some have made, by purchasing seat covers, pots and pans, or a new ironing board for your beloved on Valentine’s Day!

We don’t really observe Valentine’s Day at our house. That doesn’t mean that Pattie and I don’t love each other, or that there’s no “romance” in our life. Quite the contrary! We just feel that Valentine’s Day has become nothing more than just another day for people to spend money they don’t have, on things they don’t need, in order to convey the simple idea of “I Love You.” Just because we buy someone a box of candy, or a new bracelet, does not mean we “love” them. If we truly love our wives, husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends; and we really are “romantic,” wouldn’t we be better served to show that love throughout the entire year, in a thousand different ways – both big and small – instead of jumping through all kinds of hoops set up for us by stores and shops, in order to make a big splash on just one day of the year?

For Pattie and me, every day is essentially Valentine’s Day; because every day, our love for each other grows more and more. We show that love to each other all the time; and even as busy as we both are, we try to foster as much “romance” as we can. When we do go to a restaurant, we will sit on the same side of the booth, so we can hold hands. Many times, I’ll pack a lunch for Pattie to carry to work, and I’ll write a little “love note” on a napkin, or she’ll do the same thing. I still open doors for her, still help her with her coat, and still pull out her chair at table, even at home for supper. Sometimes we will buy each other a little gift, or a card, and place it somewhere where the other will “find” it and be surprised. Sometimes we’ll just sit together on the porch, or on a bench in the yard, watching the birds, holding hands, and not saying a word with our mouths, but speaking volumes with our hearts; or we’ll just take a walk, picking up sticks and leaves along the way, and talking about our dreams, goals, and ideas of life.

In the same way that Pattie and I show our love for each other, and even maintain that “romance” in our relationship, so it should be in our relationship with God and with others. In today’s Gospel Lesson, which is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes some rather stringent and difficult statements. He rehearses part of the Law and Commandments, and then places upon the hearers of this Sermon an added dimension which, at first, seems rather harsh and hard; but which in reality, bespeaks this idea of the condition of our hearts. In these commandments and the application that Jesus points to, we see the fundamental idea of everything Jesus showed us and taught: Love God and Love each other. By observing these two Great Commandments, and making them a part of our thinking and living, we then reduce the risk of violating any one of the individual “Commandments”.

My friends, just like society’s view of Valentine’s Day, we could approach our relationship with God by making sure we have our chocolates, flowers, cards, and jewelry, and show up for this special day or another. In doing so, it becomes a shallow, sorry, and perhaps cheap display of our so-called “love” for God. Conversely, we can choose to live in that love and show that love each and every day, all year long. We would include God in our dreams, plans, and ideas. We could spend time just talking with God, or just sitting in the silence and beauty of His Creation. This is real communion, and real spiritual “romance,” if you will.

The same is true in how we interact and demonstrate our love for others. If we truly understood what Jesus was saying, we would have an entirely different approach to our world. We would live in such a way as to not do injury or hurt others. We would be more forgiving. We would be more tolerant. We would be more understanding and patient. We would be less selfish, and we would recognize our duty to care for others since they are reflections of the great God and Creator. In short, we would apply the Golden Rule in everything we do.

True Love, just like a garden, must be encouraged, cultivated, watered, fed, and even weeded from time to time. This is true in our romantic relationships, and it is true in our broader relationships with others, and with God. When a couple first “Falls in Love” – its all moonlight and magnolias. You remember those days of long ago, don't you! He’s was a prince and she’s was a queen. Everyone was polite, courteous, caring and careful; but then, something dark and sinister happens after the wedding. He turned into a loud-mouthed bossy so-and-so, and she turned into a whining and nagging so-and-so! How does this happen? What changes the prince into a loud-mouthed, bossy so-and-so, and the queen into a whining, nagging so-and-so? Simply, by neglecting each others needs and wants, by becoming selfish, by becoming too comfortable and complacent, by taking each other for granted, and by failing to cultivate, encourage, water, feed, and weed the garden of their love. And we think, then, that after treating each other terribly through most of the year, that we can somehow make it all “OK” with a box of chocolates or flowers one day a year, and call that "love and romance!" How silly is that!

The same is true in our relationship with God. We must be careful not to be come so comfortable and complacent that we take it all for granted. We must be careful not to neglect our walk and communion with the great Creator who gives us life. We must remember that, while God certainly does love us, we must also be busy encouraging, cultivating, watering, feeding, and weeding the garden of OUR love for God, so that we may walk that much closer with him and enjoy the benefits, joys, and blessings that come from that walk. Don't adopt and apply the same Valentine's Day mentality to our walk with God, which may ignore Him and may be indifferent through most of the year, and then tries to "make it up" at Christmas or Easter. Let us cultivate our love for God, and for others, throughout the whole year.

On this Valentine’s Day weekend, let me ask you this simple question – “How’s YOUR Love Life?” Are you like so many in the world who, on this Valentine's Day, will go mad trying to convince God and others of your love with gimmicks and tricks, presents and promises, flowers and fluff; or will you commit yourself to truly loving God and loving others – and to genuinely showing that love each and every day, all year long? Will you practice patience, tolerance, and forgiveness, in the same way that we expect God to be forgiving, tolerant, and patient with us? Will you in faith, tend to the garden of your love for God and others, by pulling out the weeds of indifference and neglect, watering it in joy, feeding it in peace, and cultivating it with humility?

Let me encourage you to make every day, Valentine’s Day, with your husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend, and especially so with God.

Light

2011-02-07T04:38:00.000-08:00

Epiphany 5A - 6 February 2011

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

At our house, we have a fish tank. We really enjoy watching those fish swim around looking for something to eat. They will peck at the glass, peck at the plants and other little things we have placed in their tank. At night, we turn off the light in the fish tank, and the fish wander aimlessly in the darkness of their little world. In the morning, Nikki will go over the fish tank, and turn on the light. The fish spring to life, and gather at the surface, swimming around and around. Nikki will sprinkle a few flakes of food onto the water, and the fish go nuts. Those little fish have somehow figured out, that every morning, when that light is turned, on food will magically appear on the surface. They have equated light with food.

Similarly, every Wednesday evening, as we gather for the mid-week Mass in near darkness, with only a faint light barely illuminating the Church, we too have become condition to equate light with food. The Mass begins when I enter the Church carrying a lighted taper. I make my way to the Sanctuary, where during the signing of the “Phos Hilaron” – “O Gracious Light” I light the Sanctuary Lamps and Candles. After the lamps are lit we turn on the other lights and the place is then flooded with light. The contrast is often startling, with folks squinting and blinking their eyes to adjust to the brightness. We make our way through the Mass, in anticipation that we too will be eating, first as we feed on the Blessed Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood; and then afterwards, when we gather in the Parish House for our weekly Fellowship Dinner. We, like the fish in that tank, have come to expect something to eat once the lights have been turned on.

Human beings are instinctively drawn to light. In those earliest moments of Creation, God said, “Let there be light” – and there appeared the light. Light is an essential element of Creation, and from the earliest days of man’s existence on this earth, we have tried to cheat the darkness, as we wait for the dawning of each new day. With the discovery of fire, man could sit in his humble surroundings, illuminated by the flames of his newly discovered fire. Then came other forms of light with the advent of torches, oil-filled lamps, the development of candles, and then more recently, electricity and the electric light bulb. With each advancement and improvement in our quest to illuminate the darkness, we have made our world a little brighter, to the extent that now, lights burn constantly – even to the exclusion of seeing many of the stars in our night sky. Today, our world shines with the brightness of man-made light, and we have all but eliminated the natural darkness of our world.

However, despite our best efforts to cheat the natural darkness, we, like those fish, continue to grope in darkness. A Spiritual Darkness. We look for something that we cannot see; look for something to feed our hungry souls; look for something to believe in; something to give meaning to this existence and life. We are instinctively drawn to the light… because God has placed in each of us a desire for that light, the true light, that light of Creation; but instead of embracing that light and discovering the freedom, joy, and peace that God wants for us, we try to cheat, by satisfying ourselves with substitutes and man-made approaches. We have devised all sorts of philosophies and intellectual ideas and even some religious exercise to explain the meaning of life, and to cope with what we cannot see – cannot understand because of the darkness that crowds our souls.

My Friends, God turned on the lights when he sent his Son Jesus Christ; and like those fish, many have responded to that light. We, who have embraced the light of light – Jesus Christ – the Son of this living, creator-God, have shattered the darkness that enveloped our souls. His life and light shines through us, to be a beacon amidst the continuing darkness of this world.

Yet the darkness continues, because so many of us who have come to the light, are not shining as brightly as we could or should, and for some – not at all. Over the Centuries, Christianity and the Church have failed to illuminate the world with the Good News of God’s Love, and to be that light in the world, by covering the glorious light of God’s love with the bushel basket of indifference, prejudice, contempt, inconsistency, and a misguided drive for uniformity instead of unity.

Today, the world looks at Christianity with scorn and slight regard, because we have for too long been inconsistent in our application of the principles of Christ. We talk of love, while fostering hate. We talk of forgiveness, while carrying grudges. We talk of peace, while promoting conflict and war. We talk of caring, while ignoring the needy. We talk of justice, while enslaving others. We talk of humility, while promoting ourselves and our agendas. We talk of honesty, while lying through our teeth and cheating in business. We talk of equality, while holding on to old prejudices and excluding those who are different. We talk of purity, while entertaining ourselves with filth and filling our hearts and minds with garbage. We talk of simplicity, while striving to gain and hold onto more and more. We talk of patience, tolerance and forbearance, while we tailgate other drivers and complain about the slowness of service we receive. We talk about the Bible, but spend little or no time reading the pages of this same book upon which we take our oaths, with no idea of what is contained therein. We talk of Christian Service and even of Sacrifice, while laughing to scorn those who do serve and make sacrifices. We talk of Godliness, while living like the Devil. We organize great protests and lament what has been labeled “the absence of God in our society” while failing to pray or make God a part of our families and our homes

The world sees these great inconsistencies within Christianity, is confused by them, and put-off by them as well; and the result is that the world continues to grope in the darkness…while we, the so-called “Children of Light” and the Christian Church continue to march along, singing “Jesus Saves, living as we do - selfish, smug, and indifferent - and the result is we actually cover up the Light. We discredit ourselves, and do injury to the cause of Christ.

Who in their right mind would want to be a "Christian" if so many of us who fit this description are the only "example" of Christianity the world ever sees? The Devil doesn't need to attack us or the Church, because the truth is... WE are our own worst enemy! We talk of "Ecumenical Relations" while Protestants hate Catholics, Catholics hate Protestants, Protestants hate other Protestants, and Catholics hate other Catholics.... all in the "Name of Jesus" I thought we we're all supposed to be on the same team serving the same Savior.

Then on top of all this, we say cute little things like, "Love the sinner and hate the sin" and still expect people to flock to us. Where in the world did THAT come from? We like to categorize "sin" and make some things "abhorrent" and an "abomination" while excusing other "sins" with a wink and a nod. Need proof? Many "Christians" call women "murders" who made the difficult and painful choice to have an abortion and view them with contempt, while glad-handing the town gossip, welcoming the womanizer, and electing the crookedest business man in town to the Church Board. Many Christians rail against alcohol, smoking, and dancing, but think nothing of lying, cheating on their taxes, or worse! We tell homosexuals that they are reprobates and destined for Hell, yet turn a completely blind eye to the young couple who chose to live together without being married, even inviting them to teach a Sunday School Class. See the inconsistencies?

Listen, I'm not suggesting that we should become even more "puritanical" and root out "sin" by expelling and labeling folks even further - for to do so would empty our Churches faster than a the school house emptying at the last bell on the last day of school. Nor am I saying that "anything goes... just go wild!" What I am saying is that NONE OF US are as perfect or as nice as we imagine ourselves to be, and that a little more love, tolerance, understanding, and consistent application of Jesus' most profound statement - "Do unto others as you would have them do to you!" would go a long way in convincing the world that we are for real! Oh, and don't forget this one... "Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself!" That in itself should be enough, if consistently applied, to change the world by first changing the Church!

You've heard it said that the Church is not a museum of saints, but is rather the hospital for "sinners". But so many Christians act like Insurance Companies, doling out benefits to some, while denying coverage to others. We say one thing and do another. We judge and condemn some while giving a "pass" to others. How in the world will people ever see the Light and Love of Jesus in us, with this level of inconsistency?

If the Church acted more like an Emergency Room, offering "treatment" to all no matter who or what, instead acting like a spa or private clinic, maybe that alcoholic neighbor would just show up in Sunday School and seek to get "dried-out". Maybe that woman who has carried guilt for years because she did have an abortion might show up at Sunday Service, receive forgiveness, and know peace. Maybe that teenager who made a mistake and got pregnant would come to Mass, find love and acceptance despite her mistake, have her baby welcomed and baptized, and get her life turned around. Maybe that Methodist pastor who is struggling to keep her small church afloat would find a welcomed opportunity to partner with the Baptist or Catholic pastor to feed the hungry in her neighborhood. Maybe that Hispanic family who fears immigration and the hatred the comes out of so many "Christians" mouths against "foreigners" would visit the Church, and find someone who can help them in their desperate situation. Maybe that Muslim at work would see that Christians pose no real threat, because, while we may not agree on Jesus or Mohamed, we do agree there is a God, that we are created by God, are part of the Great Human Family, and therefore need to find a way to live together in Peace without suspicion or fear... and who knows, if we show him enough Jesus, maybe he will want some too!

Jesus said, “Let your light shine, so that others will see the good works that you do, and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Good words are nice, but Good Works make the difference. The people of this world will never be free of the darkness that covers their hearts and minds, until we who say we have come to the Light of Christ begin to let that light shine – not in words but in works. The world will never come to Christ until we who profess Christ live consistently like Christ. The World will never embrace Christianity until the deeds of Christianity match the rhetoric of Christianity. Until that happens, there is no need or incentive for the world to embrace Christ.

This is a radical departure from what has become the modern in-your-face, evangelistic, turn-or-burn, medieval-crusade-driven approach to the conversion of the world to Christ. This is a revolutionary departure from the simple-minded and self-serving approach to Christianity that constructs multi-million-dollar buildings while thousands go hungry; that preaches hell-fire and damnation while ignoring the fear and insecurity that already resides in the hearts of millions; that rejects all reason in the blind, puritanical pursuit of a purer and more fundamentalist religious expression; that demands rights without accepting responsibility; and that looks to the government to preserve and legislate morality and righteousness and has the expectation that somehow, the Kingdom of God will arrive on Air Force One - if we just elect the "Right" President.

My friends, this is nothing short of a call for Christians… ALL CHRISTIANS... Protestants and Catholics.... to be Christians both in words and deeds… for us to take off the blinders that keep us from seeing the needs around us; to get rid of the old religious baggage that maintains division and discord; and to reject the comfortable, complacent, worn-out and familiar forms of Christianity that keep our light obscured. This is a call to embrace that radical idea of really living like, and even being, Jesus in this world; and in so doing be that Light that Jesus calls us – nay – commands us to be!

If we would do this, then the world, like those tiny fish in that tank, will respond and recognize that their souls can and will be fed because we turned on the Light of Christ. The sincerity of our words will be backed up by the sincerity of our deeds, and they will see that Christianity is more than just another religion… it is a way of life that cherishes each and every human being created in the Image of God, and seeks to love them - no matter what! After all, that is exactly what Jesus did, and exactly what Jesus commanded.

But until this happens… until the Church embraces once more this radical “practice what you preach” approach to Christianity, learns to love others and do for others as Jesus would, and puts aside the misguided and almost hateful inconsistencies we see in the Church, and Christianity, the world will continue to grope in darkness and laugh us to scorn; and the Church will fall further into the abyss of insignificance and obscurity, making it even that much more difficult for those who truly are trying to reach the world with the soul-saving, life-giving, hope-inspiring message of God’s love.

We can start right here, right now, by examining our lives, rooting out the inconsistencies we see therein, filling our hearts and minds with the words of Jesus, and then putting those words into practice and action in everything that we do. And people all around us will see the Light that is shining in and through us, will see our good works, give glory to God, and then maybe join with us on this journey of faith – not through fear, but through love and sincerity. May God grant us all the courage and grace to embrace this radical approach, and be and do all that Jesus really expects us to be and do. Amen.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Beatitudes

2011-02-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

Epiphany 4A

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Well, the playoffs are over, and the teams for the Super Bowl are all set. Next Sunday, the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburg Steelers will play in the 45^th Super Bowl, to determine just who is the best team in Professional Football.

Millions of people all around the world will be watching the game; and when it is over, one team will be crowned as “World Champions” – and the Steelers, I mean the other team will be labeled as “Losers”. One team will be celebrating and talking about going to Disney World, while the Steelers… I mean the other team will go home with heads low and hearts even lower.

The Fans will also have plenty to say about the game, with accolades and cheers for the winners, and sneers and scorn for the Steelers, I mean the losers. They will be called bums, and all kinds of excuses made for how they were robbed, and for why they didn’t win the most important Football game in their lives.

Life if full of winners and losers isn’t it; and there are those who seem to win at everything… and others who seem to struggle with everything. We often try to put a spiritual twist to these things, by equating winning and success and prosperity with being “blessed” – and losing and struggling and poverty with not being “blessed.”

We ask God to “bless” us and to “bless” our endeavors, and when those endeavors succeed, we convince ourselves that we have been “blessed” – but when those endeavors fail to meet our expectations of “success” we often wonder why God didn’t bless us.

It’s very much like praying for your favorite team to win the Super Bowl. Some will pray for the Packers and others will pray for the Steelers. At the end of the game, if the Packers do win, people in Wisconsin will be convinced that God is a Packers Fan and the Steelers can just go to the devil, and vice-a-versa for the folks in Pittsburg if the Steelers win.

We look at the world around us, and equate success and prosperity with being blessed; and in so doing, we make huge assumptions about people and about the way God works. Even in Church, we bring these assumptions with us, along with a warped view of how God works in our lives. We often see poor folks around us, and make the assumption that they must not be “blessed” – that they must not be doing something right or God would bless them and their life would be different. We see successful and prosperous folks at Church, and we assume that they must be doing everything right, and are being blessed by God. This is a twisted and sad view of how God works, how Faith works, how Grace works. We even hear this view preached and proffered by many televangelists and religious hucksters, who convince the weak and gullible that if they “Give” – especially to their TV Ministry, that God will “bless” them… will make the rich… will pay their bills… will solve their problems. So people will “seek” God’s blessing by giving something or doing something, convinced that if they do so, God will bless them.

Well, to that I say, “Utter Rubbish!” Success and prosperity do not equate to being “blessed” any more than being poor and humble is tantamount to not being blessed. I have known many prosperous and wealthy people in Church, who are hateful, greedy, selfish, and some so crooked in their business dealings that they will have to be screwed into the ground when they die. I have also know many poor and humble and meek people in Church, who are the most loving, most giving, most caring, most sincere people one could ever meet. Are the rich church members “blessed” and the poor and humble Church members not blessed and ignored by God? Certainly not!

My friends, Christianity is not a football game, and it most certainly is not in line with our sad and misguided views of “winners and losers” or “prosperity or poverty” as measures of God’s favor and blessing… nor is it about the self-seeking, avaricious, greedy and grasping notion that we can seek and earn and somehow garner God’s favor and God’s blessing. For the truth of the matter is that the blessings of God do not come to those whom we would expect them to, nor do they come to those who somehow expect it for themselves. The blessings of God, just like those we have read about this morning in the Gospel, don't come to the so-called “winners” of the world.

In the beatitudes, Jesus turns our understanding of blessings upside down, for his blessings do not come to those who are trying to get a blessing, but to those who understand that the kingdom of God is an entirely different enterprise and realm from what we experience now. A lot different!

Someone once said, "I've been poor and I've been rich, and, believe me, rich is better." But being “rich” is not the same as being “blessed”. Listen to what Jesus says, about who is really blessed…

- Blessed are the poor in spirit…

- Blessed are the meek…

- Blessed are the merciful…

- Blessed are those who mourn…

- Blessed are the pure in heart…

- Blessed are the peacemakers…

- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…

- Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake…

Not much here to support the Prosperity Theology Crowd nor for the send-me-a-$100 dollars-and-be-blessed-televangelists either, is there!

Our ideas of being blessed are really twisted... even for Christians. A modern view of the Beatitudes might sound something like this…

- Blessed are the rich… they can buy what they want.

- Blessed are the strong… they can take what they want.

- Blessed are the winners… they can have what they want.

- Blessed are the talented… the can be what they want.

- Blessed are the self-confident… they can do what they want.

This view is completely contrary to the ideas of what Jesus is saying in the Beatitudes, in the Gospels, and even in his example to us. In these few simple lines, Jesus turns our concept of “blessings” completely upside down; for in these few lines, Jesus gives us the ideals and guiding principles for the Kingdom of God and for those who would be citizens of that Kingdom.

But who in this modern, hedonistic, narcissistic world really wants the “Blessing of God” if it means being poor in spirit, being meek, being humble, and even perhaps being persecuted and rejected? Who wants to follow a religion that has as its core idea that life is more that wealth and prosperity and success… and that rejects the notion of “winners and losers” as the measure of God’s true favor and blessing?

My friends, we must remember that these Beatitudes - these wonderful statements concerning who is blessed or who will be blessed, are not prescriptions, but rather are descriptions of true Christian Character and Kingdom Living – right here and now. Remember the theme we have here at All Saints for this year…. “Make a Little Heaven in 2011”! In order to do that, we have to adopt these concepts and ideas, not as a prescription for being blessed and for getting ourselves into Heaven, but rather, see them as descriptions of how we should live now, and make a little heaven right here and now.

If the Beatitudes are the description, then what is the prescription? What does God really want us to be and do? We see the answer in the first lesson that we read today from the Prophet Micah

Micah says, “….and what does the LORD require of you… but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

"Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God." That's it. Nice and simple. That is the prescription for a Godly life and a Blessed life in this world, that then in turns, seeks to create – by its humble attitude and simple example – a little piece of Heaven right here and now all around us. That’s a “prescription” that even Walgreens can’t fill, but with God as our help, we can!

But the problem in implementing this, is that we often don’t really want to embrace what God wants, but rather, what we want. We too often prefer the modern Beatitudes that I mentioned earlier… of…

- Blessed are the rich

- Blessed are the strong

- Blessed are the winners…

- Blessed are the talented…

- Blessed are the self-confident…

In short, we want to be happy, and we often exchange God’s eternal blessings for a temporary emotional high of happiness. To prove my point, see how you would finish this sentence: "I will be happy when...."

There must be a million possible endings for that sentence...

- I will be happy when I grow up and move away from home.

- I will be happy when summer comes and I don't have to go to school.

- I will be happy when I fall in love and get married.

- I will be happy when I can buy a new car.

- I will be happy when I get promoted.

- I will be happy when I retire.

- I will be happy when my aches and pains go away.

- I will be happy when I win the lottery.

- I will be happy when… WHATEVER!!!

So… just WHEN WILL you be happy? What will it take? And, what are the chances that it's ever going to happen? How long will it be? One year? Five years? Fifty years? And once you’ve achieved this state of happiness because what you waited for finally came, what will be the next thing you will have to have in order to STAY happy?

We all want to be blessed, but if our understanding of being blessed is this sad and twisted idea that being happy equates to being blessed, because we got something we have been waiting for or even praying for, then we rob ourselves of the true blessings from God that bring more than just a passing emotional happiness… they bring joy – real Joy – joy unspeakable and full of glory; and they bring Peace – real Peace – a Peace that passes all understanding.

This real peace and this real joy, comes when we heed the words of Micah, and we demonstrate the ideas of what Jesus is saying. In short, if we seek God’s blessings… we will miss out.

But if we do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with God… and we seek not blessings but rather seek God’s Kingdom and his Righteousness, then we will know and live a blessed and peaceful and joyful life.

Sounds upside-down, but, isn’t Christianity at its very core – completely upside-down? Paul even points this out in what we read today in the Second Lesson….

- God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;

- God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

- God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

My friends, as Paul said, “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God!” . The Cross makes absolutely no sense at all in a logical world, but it is the power of God. Completely upside-down! And the Beatitudes only accentuate this; because they are a description of those whom God truly favors, truly blesses – a description of what God does and will do for those who turn to him and seek him.

Yes, next Sunday, there will be winners and losers in the Super Bowl, and there will be some who will proclaim that the winners were blessed! But the truly “blessed” are not the winners we see around us… they are those who have unlocked the secret of a joyful and peaceful life by following the prescription of doing justice and loving mercy and walking humbly with God… of seeking first God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness.

And being “Blessed” in this way may never get our names in the papers or on TV, we may not be any “richer” than we are right now, may we not be any more successful or smarter or prosperous than we are right now… but by following this prescription, we will be blessed and will be a blessing to others as we work for peace, work for justice, comfort the mourning, lift up the poor in spirit, and hold out a hand of tolerance, acceptance and love to those around us. That my friends, is what the beatitudes really are all about. That my friends is what Christianity is really all about!

May God grant us the grace and the will to be this people – this blessed, joyful, peaceful people - who make a difference in the world around us in Jesus’ Name.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Make Some Heaven in 2011

2011-01-10T05:49:00.001-08:00

Epiphany 1A – Baptism of Jesus

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Well, the holidays are officially behind us. Almost all of the decorations are packed-away; the stores are still trying desperately to sell-off the last of their overstock; the kids returned to school this past week; and for many, the dreaded Christmas Credit Card bills are beginning to arrive. On New Year’s Day, the world was filled with hope for 2011… now we are beginning to see the dreaded “after Christmas depression” when folks are in to doldrums and dumps. To compound that – It is cold outside; we have had a lot of snow already; and more snow is in the forecast for this week. I can see how folks might feel depressed and have that “let-down” feeling after the holidays.

However, as we enter this New Year, those of us who have truly placed our faith and confidence solely in Jesus Christ, have a real joy and hope that goes beyond the cheap “holiday spirit” or deluded New Year sentiment. This real joy and real hope comes from the fact that we are walking with Jesus each, and every day. Our priorities are guided by his teachings and instructions. Our decisions are guided by prayer and by the Holy Spirit. Our hearts are filled with the promise and assurance that no matter what comes – good, bad, or ugly – Jesus is with us, and will provide for us all that we need.

For the true Christian – for the one who takes seriously their baptismal covenant – this mindset helps us stay focused on what is really important, and can help us live more fully and more joyfully in the “now” and in the “present” instead of living for tomorrow by saying things like – “I can’t wait for this or that…” We live each day, filled with the joys and wonders of each new day; and we recognize that all we are and all that we have comes to us from God.

Then on top of all that, we have a hope that does look beyond the now and the present because once we finish our course here, Heaven awaits us. Therefore, there is no reason to remain depressed and discouraged because when one has Christ – and when one is truly living for Christ, then one has everything and more; and that’s a deal that even Wal-mart can’t beat!

With the arrival of each New Year, I try to come up with some catchy little phrase that captures the focus, goals, and direction for our ministry in the coming year. The handful of you who were here in 2008 will remember “Be Great in 2008.” In 2009, it was “Don’t whine but Shine in 2009”. Last year, it was “Let’s do it again in 2010!” Each of these little slogans were designed to motivate us into being more, doing more, serving more, and allowing more of Jesus into our lives in the New Year. Well, I have come up with one for the New Year that I hope will motivate all of us, and it is “Make Some Heaven in 2011”.

“Make Some Heaven in 2011!” You have heard me say before, that Christianity is more than just a passive belief in God, which makes us comfortably smug as we await our arrival in Heaven. Christianity has to be more than just sitting around waiting for Heaven! Jesus came and taught us so much about life and about what is important in this life. He even said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly…” Too many folks, who warm a pew in Church week after week, are doing little more than existing as they sing songs about Heaven and say “Amen” to the promises of everlasting life. They live each day, essentially wasting their lives as they wait for Heaven or for the Second Coming of Christ. In the mean time, they have no power, no joy, no hope, for today! Their faith is flimsy and weak, based more on feelings that facts, and they ride the emotional roller-coaster of mere existential Christianity. They exist, but they aren’t living.

However, if we see Christianity for what it really is – a way of life and not just a way to escape this life with the nebulous promise of “Heaven” – then everything changes; and empowered by this mindset – we can then set out to change the world around us. We indeed can Make Some Heaven instead of just sitting around waiting for Heaven.

How do we do it? By embracing the Savior and putting his words to work in real and practical ways – each, and every day. Here are just a few examples and ideas:

- First, let us make the Golden Rule OUR Rule! Jesus said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If we would treat others – all others – everyone – the way we want to be treated, then we can begin to make some Heaven in 2011. Whether at the grocery store, work, school, home, or wherever we find ourselves, if we implement the Golden Rule in a proactive way, then we will find ourselves less irritable, more tolerant, less impatient, more generous, and less inclined to gossip. Living out the Golden Rule doesn’t just wait to respond or react to others in the way we want others to respond or react to us, but rather, seeks to engage others and interact with others even before they do, in such a way that we want them to interact with us. If you want to “Make Some Heaven in 2011” then make the Golden Rule YOUR Rule each, and every day.

- Second, let us learn to forgive and to forget! Jesus gave us one of the most powerful and dangerous petitions we could ever make to God in prayer, when, in the Lord’s Prayer he said, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive others who trespass against us…” That is a powerful petition to make before the God of the Universe, for it seeks his divine forgiveness and the freedom from guilt that this forgiveness brings; but it is also very dangerous because this forgiveness we seek from God is conditional; for it is based upon our forgiveness of others. Essentially, when we make this prayer, we are saying, “God, please forgive me at the same level and to the same degree that I am forgiving others.” Put that way, it becomes a dangerous prayer, especially if we are carrying grudges, are unwilling to forgive even the most simple and small things, and are content in our contempt of others. If we live that way, then we are essentially asking God to carry a grudge against us, and to be content in His contempt for us. Do we really want to live that way? I think not! So – if we are going to Make Some Heaven in 2011, then we must learn to forgive others when they seek it, and to extend forgiveness and be willing to forgive for those who have yet to seek it.

- Third, we as Christians must work for justice and work for peace. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called the Children of God…” As I said in my Christmas Homily, the world needs to see and experience some peace; and we who have embraced the Prince of Peace need to work for that peace each, and every day. Fighting wars and killing others in order to export Democracy at the point of a gun, is not a Christian ethic, no matter how tightly one wraps in the flag. Harboring racism, prejudice, and bigotry towards those who are different and those who look different and those who live differently, is not a Christian ethic. If we as followers of the Prince of Peace cannot work for peace, and work for justice, then why bother calling ourselves Christians. Charlatan would be a more appropriate label, Chameleon would also be an appropriate label, for we pretend to be one thing whilst indeed we are something else. So if we want to Make Some Heaven in 2011, let us become the Peacemakers that Jesus asked us to be.

- Fourth, the world is lost in sin and despair. We have the answer – it is Jesus. He said, “Go into all the world, and preach my Gospel to every creature, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you…” These words are often called the “Great Commission,” and with these words, we are instructed to bring others into this way of thinking, this Way of Living. It is our responsibility to share the Good News of Jesus – not only in words but in deeds. We are to make more disciples. We are to bring others into this fellowship, this household of God that we call the Church. In a practical way, this is a call to the Sacramental Life – that begins for each one of us in Baptism, and continues through the Eucharist and through Reconciliation. It will be the focus of this Church to extend and offer the Sacraments to everyone, and then to teach them how to live in the power of these blessed Means of Grace. We’ve already started the year off right – with the Baptism of Logan last Sunday, and another Baptism today of Tammi’s baby; but we cannot and will not stop there. There are hundreds of folks right here in our part of the world who need to know, see, and experience Jesus; and we are to be that Jesus for others to see. We must also remember, that Baptism is only the beginning! Jesus said, “baptize them” AND “teach them.” We can’t be content simply with getting people wet in the waters of Baptism; we must become the teachers as well! That can only happen when we become students first. We do this by our faithful participation in Sunday School, and by our faithful, diligent, consistent participation in the Sacramental Life of the Church. Yes, this is a call for revival, a call to the basics, a call for renewal, a call to get serious about our attendance and participation in Church and at Mass! In fact, this morning at the Food Lion when I went to buy the biscuits and breakfast stuff, the checkout clerk said, “Bribing the folks to come to Church with biscuits?” I responded, “Yeah, well, if you feed them, they will come… sometimes!” She laughed and said, “Well, if that’s what it takes to fill the Church, then I suppose it’s worth it!” “I said, “Yeah, this is the modern face of Christianity.” She said, “whatever happened to the days when people loved God enough to go to Church and spend the entire day, every week, without complaints and without biscuits?” I responded by saying that it would take far too long to explain the social and psychological aspects of that questions, but that, in short, many Church folks aren’t disciples – they are consumers of religious goods and services. When life is good, they don’t need God; and when things turn bad, instead of turning back to God, they turn on God and blame him for everything. So God is optional, and Church is just another activity to fit into our lives – when we can, when there’s nothing else to do.” She remarked that it was sad. My friends, when we allow “life” and our excuses of “life” to keep us from receiving “real life” each week in the Eucharist, we rob ourselves of the power and very presence of Christ that makes it possible for us to get through life, and to “Make Some Heaven in 2011” or in any other year for that matter. So let’s “Make Some Heaven in 2011” by getting ourselves more ready for Heaven by committing ourselves to living Sacramental Life each day. And in so doing, we will also be Getting other folks ready for Heaven in 2011, because we will be the disciples, the conduit through, whom folks all around us will discover this same Jesus who gives us life, His Life, and then promises us eternal life as the bonus.

- Fifth, James writes in his Epistle, that “Faith without works is dead…” and “…show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works…” As I said at the outset of this Homily, too many Christians who warm a pew, do little more than that… warm a pew… and even then, only marginally. That is the sad extent of their Christian expression, their Christian “faith.” If we truly believe, then we will be busy demonstrating that belief – not only with words, but with deeds, making a difference in the world around us. Jesus said, “Let your light shine, so that others may see the deeds that you do and give glory to your Father in Heaven!” “Deeds” is the key word here. Anyone can talk about faith, talk about God, talk even about Church… but when one DOES the work, and lets their light shine – through their deeds, then others will see our Faith, see our God, and even see our Church – in US.

There are hundreds of other things that Jesus said for us to do in this life and in this world that make it possible for us to “Make Some Heaven in 2011” – but I will summarize them all in this last point: “Love God with all your heart, and love others as much as you love yourself!” This Great Commandment is the very heartbeat of Christianity! We are to live this Commandment and make it part of our total expression. By so doing, we move from being mere consumers of religious goods and services, to becoming effective, serious disciples of Christ. We become world changers, peacemakers, justice seekers, and students as well as teachers of all Jesus came to share with us and teach us. By loving God with all our hearts, and loving others as much as we love ourselves, we have the platform from which we can indeed “Make Some Heaven in 2011.”

This year, let me invite you to embrace Christianity in a way you may never have done so heretofore. Let me encourage you to make 2011 the most spiritual, most powerful, most hopeful, and most joyful year of your life – no matter what life throws at you, by committing yourself to follow the Golden Rule as Your Rule; to Forgive others as you want God to forgive you; to work for Justice and Peace; to participate faithfully in the Sacramental Life and offer this Sacramental Life to other around you; to let your actions and deeds demonstrate your faith; and finally to fall in love with God all over again and learn to love others like never before! If we together can do all this, in Jesus’ Name, then we will, right here in Central Virginia, “Make Some Heaven in 2011.”