Original after Pentecost sermons, prayers, stories, plays, fim reviews, and theological book reviews for use in the church-
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Resources for
15th after Pentecost (Prop. 17)
to Reign of Christ
For
Yr. C Planning
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-Brickner,
Finding
God
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Preaching & Teaching resources yr. A.
Sunday
before Labour Day Sermon
and Resources A309
P
17,
Forgiving Jacob Mt. 18:21-35 A443
P17
The Protocol of For Forgiveness A444
P17 Forgive ABCforgive
P18
The
Economy of the Realm of God A446
P19 Having
the Mind of Christ
A445
P21 Thankful
for Grace A447
P22 Covenant
of Laws A415
P24 Doing
what you say you believe A451
All Saints I
want to be in that number A450
Remembrance
Day,Sunday before/after ABC
Nov 11
P26 Holy
War and Sacred Peace A452
Last after P The
Good Shepherds A453
Thanksgiving
+Thanksgiving:Living
a Great Myth Cthanksgiving
+A
Personal Thanksgiving for
Gifts of Grace A447
Remembrance
Day
+Eve
of Remembrance Day ABC
Nov 11
+Forgiving
as a way to live ABCforgive
Church school and Child related
+Covenanting
with Church school leaders, children and congregation. A106
+Beginning
church school,
Congregational litany A107
+From
the mouths of babes dept.
Kaitie-ism, "And God Too!" A105
+Spanking, Against A113
+Children
are full members A112
liturgical
resources
+
Parable of the Wedding Feast, The Invitation. A
chancel play A109
+Picnic
theme, order of service (also
Sermon A408) A208
+
Mission & Service Fund,
Liturgy,Celebrating it A501
+Baptism
Litany in Shepherd theme A216
World
Mission related liturgies and other resources
-Dramatic
Liturgy: "Celebrating the Mission & Service Fund." A501
-Teaching
tool: "Teaching the M&S Logo." A502
-Biblical
passages related to the church's mission a002b
A
"Liberal" Muslim Minority A310
Charity
vs Social Services A307
Pastoral Relations and Congregational mission
-Preparing
to call a minister to share in your mission
-Relationship
of ministers and congregation: "We are in a Covenant." A005
-Roles
of ministers and people: "Homebodies and Transients." A004
-Congregations
without ministers: "Can be a Creative Time."A003
-The
Church's chaplain-outreach to the unchurched A007
+15th after
Pentecost, Prpoer 17. Sensuous
God Bp15
+
16th after Pentecost, Proper 18 Be-coming
Clean <Bp16>
+
17th after Pentecost, Proper 21
Seeing
God Two
ways <Bp19>
+
18th after Penetecost, Proper 22
Divorce
and Marriage <Bp20>
+
20th after Penetecost, Proper 24 In
the Relationship <Bp18>
Yr.
C Preaching/Discussion
+15th
after Pent. [Prop. 19]
Lost and Found Cp15
+16th
after Pentecost [prop 20]
A non-bottom line world Cp16
+17th
after Pentescost [prop 21] God
and Consequenxes Cp17
+18th
after Pentecost [Prop 22] Cp18
+
19th after Pentecost [Prop 23] Thanksgiving Cthanksgiving
+19th
after Pentecost [Prop
23]God's
Spin Doctors Cp19
+20th
after Pentecost [Prop24[
Written on Our Hearts Cp20
+21st
after Pentecost [Prop 25]
Seeing our selves. Cp21
+22nd
after Penetecost [Prop. 26] Being
Found. Cp22
+23rd
after Pentecost [All Saints/prop
27] God
is Coming Cp23
+23rd
after Pentecost [Prop 27] Being
God's Point of Entry Cp23b
+23rd
after Pentcost [Prop 27] Resurrection
+24th
after Pentecost [Prop 28]Are
We the Chosen? Cp24
+25th
after Pentecost [Prop 29] Becoming
Human Cp25
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18th after Pent. Exodus 16:2-15; Mat. 20:1-16
This morning's reading form the Hebrew scriptures and from Matthew's Gospel speak to the condition of our world today. They speak to me of the state of human affairs today because they illustrate the economy of the Reign of God.
Now, before I speak of this, I ask you a question. The question is this: If you had no supper last night, and no breakfast this morning, what would you be thinking about right now? If you were very hungry would you be attentive as I spoke of the Love of God, or would you be hoping for lunch? How would you feel if you knew that while you went hungry, I had both a good supper last night and a hearty breakfast this morning?
This past week, Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Cretien, reminded us that the world is a place where many are hungry, while others have plenty. He said that the western world is getting too wealthy and arrogant compared with the rest of the world. I believe he is correct in this assessment. Just the week before, he attended the special United Nations meeting in South Africa. At that meeting representatives of the world recognized that many of the world's people are distracted and angry because there are many nights when they get no supper and many mornings when they get no breakfast, while we have all we want and more.
It is becoming clear that the world just will not work without some radical balance.
This morning's lessons from the Bible speak to us of balance; the balance there is within the economy of the Realm of God. As I see it, the economy of the Realm of God has two budgets, which must be kept in balance.
The two budgets I see in the Realm of God are the budget of Love and Grace on one hand, and the budget of food, shelter and safety on the other hand. In all of God's dealing with humankind, these two budgets are always attended to.
We see this in this morning's lesson from Exodus, and in Jesus' parable of the workers.
The Exodus story begins with an imbalance. The Hebrew people are slaves and the Pharaoh is master. God sees the plight of God's people and uses Moses and Miriam to bring the people out of slavery. In this morning's reading we find the people out of Egypt, and in need of food. They have the Love and Grace of God, who heard their cry and set them free, but now they need food, and God provides Manna and quail.
They are not expected to be the listen to the teachings of Moses with empty stomachs. They are not expected to practice the Ten Commandments when they are distracted with hunger. This reminds me of another Gospel story - the Feeding of the five thousand. Jesus identifies that people have two needs - spiritual and material.
This is the kind of balance that needs to be brought to humankind. We see this in the work of our Christian missions in the world. All our missions among people who are poor have these two budgets: a budget of the Love and Grace of God, and a budget of the necessities of life: food, shelter, safety, education. (Give some examples).
We who are here this morning are among the fortunate few in the world who can have pretty well all we want of both. I don't think we should feel guilty about this. However, we do need to use these blessings and work with other peoples in building of a world community in which all people can enjoy sufficient for their spirit and their bodies and their minds.
In Jesus' parable of the worker's pay, we find a large group of people all of whom show up at the hiring hall hoping to get work for the day. Some get a full day's work, some get half a day's work, and the rest get one hour's work, but they all get the same amount of pay.
I know of two ways to interpret this parable, and I believe both are valid. One way is to see this parable as showing how God is with us. If we are faithful all our life, or just part of our life, we get the same grace. Another way to read this parable is hear Jesus teaching that all the workers have need of a full day's pay if they are feed and clothe and educate their families. On the one hand, we all have a need for a full measure of grace, and on the other hand we all need access to other necessities of life.
There is a new movie out (John Q.) which makes this point very well. It is the story of a loving family in which a child needs a heart transplant. However the family's insurance will not cover such an expensive procedure, and the father gets only two days work each week. It is clear that the only thing that stands between this child and life is money. A wealthy person's child would get the put on the list for a new heart, but the poor family's child will not.
Jesus came into the world proclaiming the Realm of God, a realm in Heaven and on Earth in which there is an economy which in God's bounty, budgets for the full spectrum of human need in body and soul.
In the world at present it is unlikely that we will ourselves continue in safety and peace if this equity is not established. Those who are hungry are getting angry, and unable to hear any message of love for God and neighbor. We who have food shelter and safety have the privilege of being able to listen to these teachings, and we and our national leaders have the power to make them real in our lives and in the whole of humankind.
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The Invitation ecclesicakes A109
A Chancel enactment of the parable of the Wedding Feast
After Pentecost 23. or Palm Sunday (see A212) Mathew 22:1-14.
Properties:
Large table
Two
tablecloths large enough to cover table; one festive and one plain.
Dishes and
cutlery for a banquet.
Three sets of invitations.
Two candles,
set in silver holder. Candle lighting equipment.
Simple
scarves, and headwear and/ or costumes to suggest roles, bandages,
hymnbooks or copies of the hymn, Jesus Calls Us.
Characters:
Monarch, 2 or more Monarch's Ministers, 4 or more Runners, Reader.
Staging:
-Place Communion Table or other large table on stage centre front in
clear view of congregation
-Cover the
table with the festive cloth and set it for banquet.
-Place a large
chair behind the table. Place three smaller chairs on each side of
the large chair.
-Place
invitations on table in front of the large chair.
-Place a copy
of the hymn, Jesus Calls Us, in front of each chair, and place other
copies where they can be found by Ministers and Runners at the close
of this play.
-Cover all
this with a second cloth.
Before the enactment begins you may want to announce that at one point in the play members of the congregation, chosen randomly by the players, will be asked to come onto the stage as guests of the Monarch
The Invitation
Hymn, during
which players take their place onstage.
note: If play
this used with the
Palm Sunday Service A212,
the hymn may be, "This is the Day." Otherwise it might be
the first verse of, "Jesus Calls Us."
The monarch
sits in the large chair.
Reader - The Gospel of Matthew describes Jesus' ministry in one brief statement. Mark says that Jesus went into Galilee inviting everyone to enter into the Realm of God. He said told each one he met that the Realm of God is very near, so now is the time to believe this Good News and turn to God (Matthew 4:17).
In Matthew's gospel we find Jesus telling a parable about this invitation to enter the Realm of God. We players are going to enact that parable. WE invite you to see our offering as your invitation to renew your membership in God's Realm, or to enter it for the first time.
Reader - Let us pray: O Holy God who invites us to be citizens of Heaven both now and forever, by your Spirit open our hearts and minds so that we respond with gladness to this invitation. May we now hear Christ offering us this Good News.
Reader - Here is the parable of Christ: The Realm of Heaven is like this. Once there was a Monarch who prepared a wedding feast for one of his children.
Servants - remove plain cloth to reveal table set for banquet. Place candles on table and light them.
Reader - The monarch made up a guest list and sent servants to deliver the invitations.
Monarch's ministers - Come to monarch to receive invitations, and give them to the Runners, who leave to deliver them. While off stage, they crumple the invitations to signify they have been rejected.
Reader: But those who were invited to the banquet refused to come.
The Runners return and make a show of giving the crumpled invitations to the Ministers, who nervously take them to the Monarch who is astounded, and cannot believe the refusal.
Reader: Again the monarch sent servants out with a second invitation to the same people saying: (Matthew 22: 4b).
The Monarch gives out the second set of invitations to the Ministers who give them to the Runners, who leave to deliver them.
Reader: (Matthew 22:5-6)
The Runners return and sit on the floor. Some are limping, some holding onto broken arms, some with bandages on their heads. The Monarch goes to them in concern, and the ministers bring cushions for the servants to sit on the floor.
Reader: The Monarch was enraged, and sent police to arrest those who abused his servants. (Matthew 22:8-10)
The Ministers go into the congregation and invite people to come to the banquet. The expectation here is that at least six members of the congregation will allow themselves to be escorted to the stage. The Monarch welcomes them warmly as they arrive. The ministers show them to the six smaller chairs.
Hymn, concluding verses of, Jesus Calls Us.
During final verse of this hymn, all the players and the guests leave the stage.
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The Mind of
Christ ecclesicakes A445
P + 19, yr. A.
Sep 29, 2002. Phil 2:1-13; Matt. 21:28-32
Have you ever
said to someone with whom you are working: You and I are of one mind?
You might have gone to work on a project with some hesitation about
whether you can work with a particular person, then found out that
things went very well, and you could say: "We are of one mind!"
This morning I
will give attention to the passage we read from Paul's letter to the
church at Philippi in which Paul exhorts the people to be at one mind
with Christ. Then, I will set beside Paul's injunction, this
morning's parable of the two sons; one who said yes, but meant no,
and one who said know but acted out a "yes. "
So, first
let's delve into Paul's prescription for the Christian life:
"Have within yourselves the mind of Christ."
I am going to
begin by playing a bit with the word, mind
As I was
preparing this sermon I found myself wondering; "What is
mind?" So I looked to three English dictionaries to see what
they said about it. Here is what I found:
1.the Random
House Dictionary says that our mind is the part of us that thinks,
reasons and perceives. By this definition, to be at one mind with
Christ would be to think as Christ seems to have thought,
2.Webster's
Dictionary says mind is "the seat of consciousness in which
both thinking and feeling take place." According to Webster's
definition, to have the mind of Christ is to both think and feel as
Christ seems to have done.
3. Then, I
turned to the Oxford dictionary. The Oxford dictionary begins by
asserting that the mind is "the seat of awareness." This
definition expands the concept of mind even further, so that to have
the mind of Christ is to have an awareness such as Christ seems to
have had
Then I looked
at what the New Cambridge Encyclopaedia says about mind. These
scholars add even more to our understanding of mind. They include
soul in their definition.
All this,
taken together, led me to say, "Well that's what makes me
human!" It seems to me that thinking, feeling, awareness, and
soul are what make me human. Mind is what allows me to be the person
I am.
Could it be
that Paul had any of this in view when he urged people to have the
mind of Christ? If this is what Paul meant by "mind," you
and I are most fully a Christian person when our thought, feeling,
awareness and souls are at one with Christ.
Then I thought
I should see what theologians think of this, I turned first to Alan
Richardson, who makes a career of studying the meaning of words in
the Bible. He writes that St. Paul meant that we should have the same
attitude that Christ had. 1. That is helpful. To be at one mind with
Christ is to have the attitude that Christ displays.
Then I turned
to a book I am reading just now. In his new book, "The Human
Being," Walter Wink says that Christ was a fully human person
who sought by word and action to bring God into the whole of his
life, and he invited others to do the same. 2. I come to the
conclusion that this is ultimately what it is to have the mind of
Christ, to have our whole being (thinking, feeling, awareness,
attitude, and our behaviour) in tune with the creator.
The next
question that comes to my mind is: what are the practical
implications of this in our lives?
This morning's
gospel parable tells us what it does not mean. It does not mean
saying yes to God, but meaning no. The parable tells of two sons who
are asked by their father to carry out a task. The first son says,
"Yes, I'll do it," but he does not. The second son answers
"No," but he ends up doing it.
We in the
church are in danger of being like the first son, saying yes, we will
have the same attitude as Christ did, but then behaving as if we had
said, "No."
So, let us be
more like the second son, and seek to have the mind of Christ, the
attitude of Christ, even in our doubts and failings. It is not
difficult to discover what it is that we are asked to do - even if we
feel like saying, "No!" If we just imagine any of the
stories we know about Jesus, the attitude we are urged to adopt
shines through.
I asked you at
the beginning to think of times when you and a friend or co-worker
found yourselves to be of one mind. Now, I invite you be aware of how
you are at one mind with Christ.
Think for a
moment, do you have a favourite parable, or Jesus story? If so, call
that to mind, then ask yourself, "What is the mind of Christ
that I find here? What seems to be Jesus attitude in this
story?" Next, consider where in your life (with your
family, or friends, or work, or mission of the church) do you find
yourself holding the attitude exhibited by Christ- where are you and
Christ of one mind?
May all of us
as we go through the coming week, often find ourselves carrying into
the world, the mind of Christ. Surely this is what it is for us to be
wholly human, and surely it is the mission of the church to carry
such attitudes into the world.
1,"Theological
Workbook of the Bible, Alan Richardson, SCM 1965
2. "The
Human Being," Walter Wink, Fortress Press 2002.
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I
am Thankful for Gifts of Grace ecclesicakes A447
Thanksgiving
Yr. A.
Dt. 8:7-18; 2
Cor. 9:6-15; Lk. 17:1-19
This past
twelve months has been for me as an individual and a citizen an
almost overwhelming experience of God's Grace. These passages from
scripture, and my own life lead me to share with you how God's grace
has manifested itself to me over this past year. This will be my
thanksgiving message; being thankful for God's gift of grace.
In plain terms
what I am talking about is: coming through a heart attack, having a
loving family, living in a province in which the government is
committed to public health care, and belonging to a church which
takes seriously its partnerships in "working for Peace and
Justice." I see these as gifts of grace for which I am
profoundly thankful.
In calling
these things "gifts of grace," I am honouring the words we
have this morning from Moses: "Do not say: My power and my
strength have gotten me this wealth." I am more than ever
convinced that Moses is right. If I boast, "My strength and my
work, and my power has gotten me all that I have," I am
wrong! I am wrong because all I have came to me as gifts from God.
This was the
case for the people healed by Jesus in this morning's reading from
Luke. Luke tells us that Jesus met 10 who were sick with an incurable
disease, and sent them away healthy. They could not boast that their
healing was their own doing. It did not come from a healthy diet (as
I might try to follow), nor did it come from working out each day (as
I do). They did not have a return to health because they lived a
righteous and faithful life (which some of us can claim). No, their
health was restored as a pure gift, freely given by God through
Jesus. The one of them who came back to give thanks certainly
understood this. Jesus says of him: He returned to praise God for
what he had received as a gift.
Moses taught
his people that this is true of all of life. Our gains are not from
our own doing.
To me this
teaching is the essence of our thanksgiving. Thanksgiving
acknowledges that all we have comes to us as a gift from God.
I want to
share with you how I see that applying to my own life. I am convinced
that my life has been a series of gifts.
These gifts
came from God through three channels: through individual people,
through the church, and through society.
As I share my
experience of grace, I invite you to be in touch with your own. What
were the times during this year that you have received God's gifts of
grace at home, in the community, within the church and in the world?
But before I
go further in this vein, I want to make two disclaimers. The first is
that I do not always experience these people and institutions as
gift. I have also been hurt by them and they by me. The second
disclaimer is this: I know that what I saw as gift in my life, you
may not see as gift in yours. If you want to talk with me about
anything that I share, please feel free to speak to me.
Having said
that, I will now share some of the gifting events of my life over the
past few years. They are: my retirement, my heart attack, the actions
of my government, and the ministry of the church. In my perception,
these all were channels through which gifts came to me from God, and
for them, I give thanks.
Of these, the
first such gift for which I want to publicly give thanks is my
retirement. This certainly is a gift. Many have said to me: "Bob,
enjoy you retirement, you deserve it!" Indeed I do enjoy it;
however, nothing I have done makes me deserving of this gift. My
retirement includes, having a little house to live in safely, and a
pension adequate to my needs and the freedom to be with those I love.
These gifts have come to me through the generosity and work of may
people, beginning with the church courts which put in place a good
pension plan for church workers. I am also very aware the gift of
retirement comes from all those church members who make faithful
weekly offerings. It is a monthly gift from those who administer the
pension fund. It comes as a gift after thirty years of being
privileged to proclaim the Gospel. For this gift of God's graceful
gift of retirement I am deeply thankful every morning.
The second
blessing I want to speak of is a heart attack. It was both a channel
for gifts, and a gift in itself. Through a heart attack I received a
gift of Grace channelled through modern medical science. The skill
and care of doctors and nurses returned me to health. Through a
heart attack I also received many expressions of love from my family
and friends. These are pure gifts of God's grace for which I also
give thanks every day.
The heart
attack itself was gift. Now, that I have had it, I know something
about my health that I did not know before, and I can live within
that knowledge. It has also made every day precious. So, I can gift
thanks for it, and I do.
The third
experience I want to share with you is that of being a Manitoban and
Canadian. I am so glad that my grandparents came to settle in this
land. All my life I have benefited from being in this country, and I
still do. I am very grateful to live in a nation where so many
benefits can be taken for granted. I am thankful that my provincial
government places a high priority on our system of public health
care, and education. I have done nothing to deserve living in this
nation and province. My citizenship comes to me as a pure gift from God.
Finally, I am
thankful for all the gifts of grace that come to me through the
church. From my early childhood the church has been a blessing to me,
and it has allowed me to be a blessing.
This brings me
to the message from St. Paul for this morning. Paul writes to the
people who were the church in Corinth, reminding them of the gift of
grace they have received from God. Then he invites them to become a
gift of Grace themselves, and to give thanks to God for it. (9:14-15).
This is the
step that completes our thanksgiving; we receive gifts and we become
gifts. I am sure that we all want to be a gift and a channel of grace
to our families, our communities, our church and our world. God gives
us many opportunities to do this. One of these opportunities is our
offering. When we leave here our offering carries out work on our behalf..
I am so very
glad to give to the Mission and Service Fund. It is so good to be a
part of a church whose mission includes "Working for Peace and
Human Rights" in our world. I was very pleased to read the
current Mandate* magazine which tells of all the ways in which our
church is helping to channel God's grace throughout Canada and the
world. I invite you read this issue of Mandate and be amazed as I am
at the work our offering does. The Mission and Service Fund which
distributes our dollars in this way is truly a gift of grace which
allows us to be a gift to our neighbours everywhere.
So, at this
time of thanksgiving, I want to remember that It was my not my work
that got these many good things which I enjoy. They all are gifts of
God's grace for which I am profoundly thankful.
Let us rejoice
in God's gifts of grace and pledge ourselves to be gifts of grace
wherever we go this week.
*Mandate
Vol.33, No. 3. August 2002. United Church of Canada (www.united-church.ca/mandate).
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I
Want to be Among that Number ecclesicakes
A450
All Saints.
Rev. 7.9-17; 1 John 3.1-3; Mt. 5.1-12
I have never been to New Orleans, but I would very much like to visit there, and especially to experience the sights and sounds of the older parts of that city. I think it would feed my spirit to walk through that architecture and to experience the crowds. There is one particular part of the culture of that area that I would want to experience up close, If it is practised. That would be a funeral procession celebrating the life of an elder in the community, a funeral procession led by a band playing, "When the Saints Go Marching in." I would want to be there to see the people and to hear their music and I would want to be there because that spiritual song, When the Saints Go Marching In, expresses two things for me; both a longing I feel inside and a truth about our faith. I do indeed want to be in that number when the saints go marching in and I believe the day will come when the victory of the Gospel over all that is evil will be realised.
For me, that spiritual portrays a day when God's reign will be present in all its fullness, and all those who have contributed to it will be celebrated. It speaks of the day envisioned by St. in this morning's readings from Revelation:
They shall be
in God's holy presence day and night,
The Lamb will
be their shepherd.
God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes
and there
shall be no more hunger or pain.
Here John follows the prophet Isaiah (49:10) in this vision of God leading the people home.
It carries us to the end of this age and to the beginning of the Realm of God on Earth in all its fullness; the fulfilment of Jesus' words announcing the Kingdom of Love for Neighbour.
Like St. John, this New Orleans spiritual envisions that moment in which all who long for God's peace will parade together arm in arm. Even us with no singing voice will, on that day, have music and beauty pour from our throats.
You don't have to go to New Orleans to get a foretaste of that great day. Every time a choir processes down a church aisle, I think: here we are getting ready for God's victory parade.
So, how does this apply to us? I invite us all to find ourselves this imagery. This parade would be made up of all the people in all times who have lived for God's Peace and Grace in some part of their lives. Can you see yourself in it?
Imagine that this parade is headed by our mothers and fathers in the faith: Sarah and Abraham, Rebecca and Isaac, Joseph and his coat of many colours, and Ruth. After them will pour in the people of the Exodus from slavery in Egypt - as if they had just come from a Cecile B. DeMille movie. Miriam will be there with her tambourine, Moses with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, and David with his harp. Then would come the Hebrew prophets, Amos, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah.
Can you see the Christian community entering? I envision us being led by children with a lamb in their midst, and close behind them all those who have borne a heavy burden in this life. Mary and Peter will be there, and in the latter part of the parade will those who have been this congregation, for instance&ldots;&ldots;.
That will be a great singing and hugging day of repentance and tears, and forgiveness, a day of joy and grace. The faithful have a long history of greeting one another warmly. St. Paul encourages us to greet one another with a holy kiss. Lately we have started doing that gain in the church. I get quite a few hugs and holy kisses every Sunday morning. Every time we do this we anticipate that great day when the saints will come marching in.
On that All Saints Day all our earthly ministry will be celebrated. Can you imagine coming into the presence of the Holy, and having all the good you have done affirmed and celebrated? The Beatitudes that you have lived will be honoured!
Many of us will be remembered for being "Poor in Spirit;" for choosing to share our resources of time or money even though it would have made us richer to have kept them for ourselves.
Many of us will be named and blessed for our ministry of mourning and grieving; all those times when we were willing to share anther's sorrows. At funerals I see people who have gone out of their way to support those in grief.
Then as ironic as it may seem, even the meek will be lifted up; those who chose to do God's will rather than wilfully go their own way.
Then there will be those among us who have hungered and thirsted for righteousness. Those who want to see right done are often not honoured because they want to change things, but on this great day they will be hugged for what they sought to do.
So, we can go down the list: the merciful, the peacemakers, the pure in heart, and those who have suffered on account of their faithfulness.
All of these will have one characteristic in common - they will be surprised to be there. They will ask: "When was I among the meek, or poor in spirit, or when did I suffer for righteousness?
And God will answer them: When you did this for the least of my children, when you cared for the earth and its creatures, you were among the saints. At that, all the saints of every age will weep tears of joy, and I want to be in that number when the saints come marching in. I want to be with you Mary, and you, Tom.
May our living anticipate that day, and may our way be a foretaste of it!
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24th after Pentecost Matthew 23:1-12
There is
nothing more true than this morning's Gospel lesson. That is,
religious people and their leaders say one thing and do the opposite.
We say, "Love your neighbour, " but we often actually
dislike or even despise our. neighbours. I know that this
doesn't by any means apply to all people of faith. I know many loving
kind people in the church.
However, many
people have come to the conclusion that we are a bunch of hypocrites.
I recall a cartoon, which showed Dennis the Menace standing in a
church doorway [for those who don't know - Dennis is a mischievous
little boy cartoon character]. The balloon above his head read:
"OK where are all the hypocrites!?" That is what many
expect to see in the church.
In Wednesday's
paper* I read that after the destruction of the World Trade Centre,
Bill Moyers of Public Television called a conference in New York to
explore this very problem. The question to be explored at this
meeting was, "Why is religion - which universally teaches love,
forgiveness and brotherhood - entwined in so much murder and hate
around the world?" In other words, as Jesus said of the
religious leaders of his culture: "They do not practise what
they preach." The conference could not answer why this is so.
They could
only conclude two regrettable truths: the first conclusion was:
"most of the horrors around the planet since the cold war ended
have involved religion." They went on to list the some of the
terrible things that people of one faith have done to people of
another faith. They listed things so horrible that I am
reluctant to name them in this sermon without a disclaimer.
The second was
conclusion of this conference is: "all religions can give root
to hate." We would like to think that Christian do not do these
things, but the truth is that when it comes to attacking people of
another faith, Christians are as blood thirsty as the rest.
We may say:
"Well, it doesn't happen in Canada." That is true, but the
attitude of disdain for one another among religions and churches does
exist here. One sign of this is the rarity of co-operation among
religious groups in Canada.
Bill Moyers'
conference could count all the hatreds, big and small, but could not
agree on why it is so.
It would be
interesting to think of the founders of religion getting together to
sort this out. Could Moses and Jesus, Buddah and Mohammed live
together co-operatively, do you think? According to their teachings
they should be able to. Apparently all advocated love and peace among
humankind. Those who knew them intimately seemed to find in them a
congruency between what they said and what they did. So, maybe they
could get along.
It is
interesting to note that in this morning's reading from Matthew Jesus
doesn't condemn the teachings of the Pharisees, he actually
recommended that people pay attention to what the other religious
leaders taught. He just didn't recommend acting as they acted. It
would seem that Jesus said that if everyone, including the Pharisees,
did as the Pharisees taught, things would be OK.
If we were to
transport that to our present world, might we say in our
congregations, "It is good to listen to what the Buddhists
teach. They have truth in them." This could be a starting place
for humankind. From this we could build a world community of, at
least respect, if not love. Perhaps we could apply this approach to
the other Christian churches in our own town also.
I know of a
Canadian hamlet in which there were only three churches who ran
separate parallel operations. Then, one year the minister of one
church and the priest of one of the other churches and the board
chairs of both parishes met at a funeral. They began to talk of
holding a joint worship service, and ended up holding a service
together in the town hall. They were surprised at the community
response. People who never darkened the door of the churches came to
that service. Then they did it again - this time with all three
churches, and the community voted with their feet, as they say. They
voted, "yes," we like this. The churches found that they
moved from alienation to trust to love. I think the community saw
them acting out what they said they believed: "Love one another."
In doing so,
they were actually following the advice of Jesus as given in another
part of this morning's reading from Matthew. Jesus advised his
disciples not to become authorities in religion or anything else.
They were not to become instructors enlightening other s who knew
nothing. They were instead to remain learners; always learning
together. What I take from this is Jesus' insight that the best sort
of faith community is one in which everyone is a learner and everyone
is a teacher. Maybe it is difficult to hate someone from whom you
have learned an important lesson, and maybe it is difficult to
dislike someone who has listened carefully and respectfully to what
you have to teach.
Then, Jesus
has a third piece of advice. That is, don't be a master or mistress,
and always be a servant. Jesus said: "The greatest of you will
be your servant." This is true. I have been to the doctor a lot
lately. In many ways the doctor is greater than I, yet, in Canada,
the doctor is my servant. She attends to my welfare. Problems arise
when some believe they are masters, and others are simply there to be
used for the master's purpose, or to be discarded. In whatever way we
spend our life, we are at our best when we are servants to others who
are also servants, and who respect one another for the gifts they
have and the service they give. There is, again, a congruency in
living together this way.
I began this
sermon with a report from the newspaper, and I am going to conclude
with another one from the same day's paper **. The headline of this
second newspaper article reads as follows: Words are Uganda's best
weapon in war on AIDS. The article beneath that headline tells of how
church leaders in Uganda have acted in a way that is consistent with love.
They have
taught their people that those who suffer from AIDS are not to be
treated as immoral persons and in doing so have reduced the incidence
if AIDS by 1/2. "And now, because church leaders and the
government of Uganda say that AIDS is not an immoral disease, people
feel free to talk about it" and to learn how it is spread. As a
result "Uganda is the only country to reduce the incidence of
AIDS in Africa, and they are the only one to admit what causes it or
that it is a problem."
Let us
remember that there are many others in communities of faith who
follow Jesus teachings and show a consistency between their words and
their actions. Let each if us open our hearts to God's Holy Spirit so
that it may be said of us that we respect our neighbours and their
faith, and live our faith true to what we profess it to be.
*"All
religions can give root to hate," James A. Haught, The
Charleston Gazette. Winnipeg Free Press p. A14 October 30, 2002.
**"Words
are Uganda's best weapon in war on AIDS, " Alexander Paul,
Winnipeg Free Press p. A6 October 30, 2002
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Sacrament
of Baptism onShepherd Theme
On Shepherd theme
Ezekiel
34:11-16; Luke 9:46-48; John 10:1-16
Leader- To day
we have the high privilege of welcoming lambs to the flock of God.
People- We
welcome them /her/him as Jesus would have done;
We take them into our arms and bless them.
L. By this
sacrament they become members of God's flock in Christ;
The recipients of God's Grace, disciples of the Love of God.
P. We receive
them into the fold with our whole hearts, and pledge to be a community
in which all are all may find nourishment in the Spirit,
and encouragement in the Christian life.
Creed
Pouring of the
water for baptism
Presentation
of the candidates for baptism
To Parents,
Guardians and god parents:
Q. You have
joined in the reading of the creed,
Are in essential agreement with this statement of Faith?
R. Yes, with
God's help we embrace faith in God our Creator,
in Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit.
The
Sacrament and presentation
of the those who have been baptised.
Hymn,
"Jesus, Friend of Little Children,"
Prayer of thanksgiving
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Waging
Holy War- Sacred Peace ecclesicakes A452
Judges 41-7; 1
Thes. 5:1-11; Mt. 25:14-30 and Is. 2:1-4.
This morning I
find a three-way coincidence between 1. This time of year, when our
whole nation focuses on its war history and 2. The world standing on
the brink of a new war that may involve us and 3, the Reading from
Judges for this Sunday, which speaks of holy war.
Then, we can
set this theme of war over against the gospel lesson, which reminds
that we are accountable for what we do with what the trust that God
places in us.
Meanwhile St.
Paul advises us that as we go into the future we are to wear God's
armor: the breastplate of love, and the helmet of faith.
I am going to
weave these together to do some thinking about our spiritual attitude
toward war-making. Basically the spiritual question is: "What do
we perceive to be the will of God regarding war?
In my
pondering all this, I begin with the Judges. The book of judges is
all about the wars Israel fought after Joshua led them across the
Jordan River and into the Promised Land. We have all heard stories of
these wars in Sunday school. For instance, that is what the story
Samson, Gideon, and Deborah are all about. This holy war lasted for
many years right up to the time of David and Goliath. David was a
great hero because he was the one who finally conquered Palestine,
and took over the city of Jerusalem. As Old Testament scholar, Thomas
Dozemen, points out the Bible sees all these as holy wars; wars
fought in the name of God to accomplish what God wanted.
The reason for
the wars is simple. When Israel got to the Promised Land of
Palestine, it was already inhabited by other people. If you were in
church a few Sundays ago, you heard a tongue twisting list of the
names of all these other people (Joshua 3: 10). Those who occupied
Palestine ahead of the Israelis were well established with cities
like Jericho and Jerusalem. However, the Israeli immigrants were not
to worry, because they had been told that God would drive these other
people out of Palestine to make room for Israel.
The book of
judges tells us that God's method of ethnic cleansing was a holy war,
which Israel was to wage on everyone else in Palestine. According to
Judges it was Israel's holy duty to conquer its new neighbors. They
must do this because they believed that to be God's will. In those
days of conquer or be conquered, it was understood that each
country's gods went to war with them, and the people with the
strongest god won.
This is a
spiritual attitude toward war. It says that war is holy because it is
basically God's war. This is where we all came from regarding war and
faith. A faithful warrior fought in God's battles.
This idea of
the spiritual warrior has been repeated many times in the history of
humankind. Our ancestors told themselves frequently that it is God's
will that they go to war for a holy cause. Or if we didn't exactly
say: "God wants us to go to war," we did believe that God
was on our side.
Surely this
was true of the European conquest of the Americas. Our ancestors
generally believed that it was their holy right and duty to occupy
this land and bring our holy blessings to the savage heathen who were
already here. Those who opposed us would suffer the wrath of God. On
the Canadian central plains this holy war was waged both by
starvation (taking away the original people's Bison food supply), and
by guns. When the Metis 1. protested the transfer of their homeland
from the Hudson's Bay Company to Canada, Canada sent in the army with
the self-righteous support of good Protestant Ontarions. 3. The Metis
also thought God was with them.
This notion of
holy war continues to today. I am sure that George Bush believes that
God approves of conquering the present regime in Iraq. President Bush
seems intent on a holy war against those nations he considers to be
evil. Of course, there were those in Iraq who saw God on their side
when they invaded Kuwait.
So, the
question comes to my mind, "Where is the will of God in all
this?" I certainly think that it was right to oppose Nazi
Germany, and to end its take over of Europe. It seems that the only
way to do that was by going to war. So, can we say that God was on
our side?
In very recent
times we have seen some new spiritual attitudes to war. In the
sixties Canadian Diplomat, Lester Pearson had the idea that the
military could be used to prevent war. This was called peace-keeping.
For several decades this was the role of Canada's armed forces. This
seemed to fit the Canadian psyche very well. Certainly many church
people and other peace-nics saw this way of using the military to be
in keeping with their spiritual beliefs.
Then, more
recently, we left peace keeping to become peace-makers. We joined in
the war in Bosnia to end the brutal ethnic cleansing practiced by the
Serbians, and to bring peace, security, and respect for persons to
that land. I don't remember anyone saying: "God is on our
side," but I do know that many faithful people supported using
force to end this regime. It is interesting to note that this was not
called "war." It was designated, not war bit peace-making,
and it is God's will that we make peace, which includes security and
respect for persons.
I suppose the
notion of peace-making also allowed us to send the military to
Aphganistan. It has yet to be shown if war brought peace top that land.
This
application of the military is certainly new in the world. For most
of the world's history, armies have been used by one nation conquer
and dominate another, as David did in Old Testament days. Certainly
we should have learned through two world wars that a victory in war
that does not lead to peace, security and respect is no victory at all.
So, it would
seem that Canadians have come to see the military as a tool by which
we may participate in making this a better world in which people can
live in peace, security, and respect. Could it be that God has led us
to this way of thinking and acting?
Now I will
turn to the passage from Matthew, which we read this morning. In this
parable a master gives servants a number of Talents for which they
are responsible. Then there comes a day of reckoning, and the master
asks the servants how they have used the Talent they were given.
Could it be
that one of the Talents we Canadians have been given at this moment
in our history is that of participating in armed force only for the
purpose of establishing or maintaining Peace on Earth? Is this a holy
Talent? If peace-making and peace-keeping is one of our God-given
Talents, how will we use it?
The hope and
Love, which St. Paul speaks of, will surely inspire us to believe
that God is calling all nations to a more mature spiritual attitude
toward war. War is now only to be used for peace-making. We are
to see that God's holy will is that we build a world where war to
conquer will be no more, and nations will beat their swords into
plowshares; a time when the newly established World Criminal Court
God will bring to account all the world's tyrants.2.
May we as a
nation among nations be open to this mature spirituality, and not
make holy war, but rather wage Sacred Peace.
1. Metis is a
culture created by descendents of parents one of whom was aboriginal
and the other European.
2. Ontario is
one of the founding provinces of
Canada.
3. Isaiah 2: 1-4
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Both the Old
and New Testament readings for today use the imagery of Shepherd and
flocks to portray our relationship with God as individuals and as
community. Like a good shepherd God cars about each sheep and about
the health of the whole flock.
It begins with
23rd Psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd." Here, God is the
shepherd, not of a flock but of single solitary sheep. The Lord is MY
shepherd, not OUR shepherd. The psalm-singer, King David, alone is
cared for by this Shepherd-God. 1.
Later, the
prophet Ezekiel expands God's care to all the people. Ezekiel
portrays the whole nation of Israel as God's flock (Ez. 34:13).
Then in Mathew
25, this is taken even further; not just Israel, but all the nations
of humankind are God's sheep.
So, there
seems to be a progression in this portrayal of who are God's sheep.
It moves from one, to many, to all; from individual to universal.
There is also
a development in the bible regarding who is the shepherd. The role of
shepherd expands from God to us. While God or Christ always is the
ultimate shepherd, the shepherding role is distributed into the community.
Ezekiel says
that not only God, but also the rulers of the people are to act as
shepherds of a flock (Ezekiel 34:1-3). The Kings, Queens heads of
families, leaders in religious communities were all to see themselves
as good shepherds, caring for a flock. The whole purpose of positions
of responsibility is seeking the welfare of those within your care.
In the church
we sometimes express this by saying that the minister is the
shepherd, the "pastor," and the people are the flock. But
this is not limited to clergy. Church School teachers, youth leaders,
elders, board members also have shepherding roles.
Then, Ezekiel
and Jesus take this imagery even further. Both see the sheep as
having responsibility for one another (Ezekiel 34:18-21). It seems to
me that both Ezekiel and Jesus observed flocks of sheep on the
Palestinian hillsides.
They saw that
there was more going on than an active shepherd caring for passive
sheep. They noticed that some sheep were leaders, some were bullies,
some got to eat the best grass, while others got the dry grass. They
saw that members of a flock have friendships, and form alliances.
So, in the end
the shepherd-sheep imagery has both deeply personal and communal implications.
First, each of
us is personally known by God, the good shepherd. Once in my life I
went to a tailor and had a suit made just for me and my measurements.
Well, when we sing, "The Lord is my shepherd," we are
confessing that God's grace is tailor-made to fit us very personally.
The Palestinian shepherd knew each animal in the flock, and examined
them daily for sores or wounds, and general health. I have a brother
in law who has a sheep farm. Like the Palestinian shepherds, Barry
knows each animal. We are known by God even more fully than a
shepherd knows the sheep. God has known the children we baptized this
morning, and will keep watch as they grow and learn and age and
finish this life.
A grown up
grand daughter of mine forwarded to me an e mail copy of an essay
which is a high school student's idea of Heaven. In this essay heaven
is a place where everything we have done or thought is recorded on
series of libary cards. The shepherd God knows us well.
The second
thing I note about the biblical shepherd imagery is that it provides
a model for those of us who are given leadership roles in family or
church or world. rulers and leaders are to be like shepherds, caring
for the flock. When we accepted these children into the community of
faith, we promised that the church would be like shepherds to them
and their family. They will have many shepherds in their life,
beginning with parents and extended family. As they grow they will be
entrusted to the care of teachers, and other care-givers and friends,
and perhaps lovers.
I have found
that grandparenting is a kind of shepherding role toward our
grandchildren and their parents.
During this
past Thanksgiving season, I reflected on the many gifts of caring and
support that I have received in my 67 years. The people who have
supported, and cared for me over these years, and continue to do so
is almost beyond number. Hopefully, I have been able to offer some
care in return. I expect that this will be the experience of these
children, they will receive much shepherding, and become shepherds themselves.
The third
learning I take from the Bible's shepherding imagery is this: all of
us are responsible for the quality of life that goes on within the
flock. The tendency is often to blame the shepherds for the state of
affairs, and it is true that leaders have responsibility, however I
believe that, in the end, the quality of life that exists in our
churches and communities is largely our own doing.
It is our
responsibility to create within the church and within our communities
and our world an environment of peace, with security and justice.
Such an atmosphere will be the result of hundreds of acts of kindness
by we, the people, and by our expressed conviction that this is the
kind of world we want our leaders to work for.
Our
inspiration for this comes from the certainty of God's shepherding
care for us, and from the care we receive from our neighbours. It is
a circle.
May these
children, and we ourselves live continually in such a circle.
1. Maybe this
was because the psalmist thought that if the king was looked after,
the poeple would prosper. Sort of a "trickle down" theory.
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P22 Yr. A, . Exodus 19:1 - 20:21 ecclesicakes A415
Today we focus on our covenant relationship with God. Each of us is in a covenant with God, the Source of Life. This covenant is a mutual exchange. God offers us grace and truth, we offer to God our fidelity. So, every person of faith has this deal going on; God offers grace and peace, we respond with an offering of love.
This is also true for us as a community. We are in a covenant with God. God offers us this congregation as a place where we may learn of God's Peace, and in return, we, the people, pledge that we will together proclaim that Love to the world as we care for one another.
If all our life as a people of God were a tree, then the covenants we have with God are the roots of that tree.
We are not alone in this. All the churches in our town are in a covenant with God. It is also beyond Christianity. We have heard a lot about the religion of Islam over this past month. We have been reminded that the Christian Bible and the Moslem, Koran, teach many things in common. For instance, we both honor Abraham and Sarah as our spiritual ancestors. This means that we share also in the covenant Abraham and Sarah made with God.
We find then that covenant is at the root of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faith.
The Bible teaches that covenant is a developing and growing relationship between humankind and our common creator. It is like a tree with four roots: Trust, Promise, Law, and Grace.
The covenant of Trust is found in the story of Noah and the Flood. After the Flood, God gave the rainbow as a sign that we can trust God. Every time we see the rainbow we are to remember that God is to be trusted. This is the first covenant: God provides, and we respond with trust.
The second Covenant is Promise. This is the covenant God made with Abraham and Sarah. This covenant also has a sign. As the rainbow is the sign of the Trust covenant, we ourselves are the sign of the Promise covenant. In this covenant God promises that the descendents of Abraham and Sarah would be as numerous as the stars. We are those descendents. We are the sign that this Promise is being fulfilled.
Today, our focus is on a third Covenant root to our faith. This is the Covenant of Law. For the Hebrew People God's Law is an especially Holy Gift (Psalm 1). The Covenant of Law was given first as the 10 Commandments.
This is the gift from God that makes possible humane society. This is the gift from our Creator that allows our societies to nurture children and to give value to every person. It is important to note one basic assumption about the covenant of the Law. That basic assumption is this: the laws of God apply equally to everyone. There are no favourites within the law, and no one can say the law does not apply to them. This assumption leads to a healthy human society under God.
A sign of this covenant would be a society where the law is being applied equally to all for the good of all. Thomas Jefferson, surely had this in mind when he wrote: "all are created equal " and have inherent rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
We can see what happens in human society when this basic assumption is not applied. I am sure that each of us could name societies where there is no equality under the law. Every society is in need of being careful that to have the law apply equally to everyone.
Now, let us listen to the 10 Commandments, and try to imagine the kind of society that was envisioned when these "laws" were given to humankind. So, I ask you to sit back and hear these 10 basic laws for a good society under God. I am going to read the commandments in reverse, beginning with number 10. For our purpose this morning I have prefaced each commandment with the words, Create a society in which you do/do not&ldots;
- 10. Create a society in which you do not covet your neighbour's house or anything that is your neighbour's.
- 9. Create a society in which you do not bear false witness against your neighbour,
- 8. Create a society in which you do not steal,
- 7. Create a society in which you do not commit adultery,
- 6. Create a society in which you do not kill,
- 5. Create a society in which you honour your father and your mother,
- 4. Create a society in which you remember the Sabbath, keep it holy,
- 3. Create a society in which you do not take the name God in vain,
- 2. Create a society in which you do not make a graven image, and bow down and serve it,
- 1. Create a society in which you have no other gods before me.
As you listened you may have realized right away that only a few of these commandments would be enforceable by the police or law courts. They are not so much laws, as they are the basis for creating a good society with just laws, under God.
The Ten Commandments are not even a complete list of what is needed for a good and just society. In fact, the Hebrew people soon wrote a statement that goes beyond the Ten Commandments. It is called the Shema. It is quoted in Luke's Gospel: "You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself."(Lk. 10.27).
The Hebrew prophets were to be even more explicit. Micah proclaimed: "What does God require of you? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
And Amos, who saw the poor and weak being abused, called the rulers of his day to: "Hate evil and establish justice in the gates," "let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a stream." (Amos 5:10,11,15, 24).
Jesus calls us to make sure that children are respected and honored. (Luke 18:5)
So, the third covenant is that under God, law shall serve to create community that is equitable for all, and honors all as the children of God. This third covenant calls us to respond by living as good citizens who create societies that nurture and encourage all God's people.
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Yr. A.
Ex. 24:12-18
Moses ascends, God descends
Psalm 2. The
presence of God in worship transform the world.
2 Peter 17:1-9
Jesus is transfigured on mountain top
Yr. C.
Exodus
34:29-35 Moses face shines when he brings 10 Commandments
Psalm1:16-21
Peter tells of what he has seen
Matthew
99 Holy God loves justice and righteousness
2 Cor. 2:12-42
Christ is one body with many parts
Lk. 9:28-36
Jesus is transfigured
-----------------------0000000000-------------------
An atheist was
taking a leisurely saunter through the
woods.
"What majestic trees! What powerful rivers!
What beautiful
animals!" he mused with himself.
As he was
walking alongside the river he heard a
rustling in
the bushes behind him. He turned to look
and saw a
7-foot grizzly bear charging towards him.
He ran as fast
as he could up the path.
He looked over
his shoulder and saw that the bear
was closing in
on him. Still running, he looked over
his shoulder
again . . . the bear was even closer.
His heart
pumped frantically as he tried to run even
faster, but
suddenly he tripped and fell to the ground.
When he rolled
over to pick himself up. The bear was
right on top
of him, reaching for him with his right paw
with gleaming
white claws and raised it to strike.
At that
instant the Atheist cried out: "Oh my God!!.."
Time stopped.
The bear froze. The forest was
silent. As a
bright light shone upon the man, a voice
came out of
the sky:
"You
denied my existence for all of these years,
taught others
I don't exist. You even credit creation to
a cosmic accident!
Do you expect
me to help you out of this crisis? Am I
to count you
as a believer?"
The heretic
looked directly into the light.
"It would
be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to
treat me as a
Christian now! But perhaps could you
make this BEAR
a Christian?"
"Very
well," said the voice. The light went out. And
the sounds of
the forest resumed.
Then the bear
dropped to the ground, brought
both paws
together, bowed his head and spoke:
"Lord,
Bless this food which I am about to receive."
Forwarded by : "Leggetts"
Shared by
Bernard Lee, retired
Sermon:
The theme of today's worship service is transformation and transfiguration. This comes from today's scripture passages - especially Exodus and Luke.
The impact of faith, once embraced, is that it will transform us - and even transfigure us. As I see it, transformation is what faith does to us inside, while transfiguration is the effect of transformation - it is the change in us that others see when they are with us.
In our Hebrew scripture lesson for today the people see Moses' face shine brightly as he brings God's commandments to them. He has been transformed by his encounter with God, and his outward appearance is transfigured.
In Luke's gospel Jesus is transformed by his acceptance of being chosen (6:35) and by his constant living in the presence of the Creator. This state of faith in which he lives attracts some and challenges all. In today's reading from Luke, Peter, James and John see Jesus transfigured- they witness a powerful almost overwhelming outward manifestation of who Jesus is. They are exposed to his glory and they see him in the company of Moses and Elijah.
I wonder if any of us have ever had an experience like this. Have you ever seen anyone who was transfigured?
I have. I am sure you have. I believe that we and our neighbours are transformed and transfigured. In my observation this happens throughout our lives. Sometimes it happens during special occasions, sometimes it takes place in everyday ordinary events. Week by week we are transformed and transfigured as we embrace God's love for us and our world.
For instance, we all have see the transformation and transfiguration that takes place when new parents receive their first child. They beam with pride and their eyes glow in thanksgiving. Just last week I was talking about this with a young father. He told me of how his life was changed at the birth of his first child.
On the everyday level, I also encounter people who have been transformed by the daily life of the church. I see them especially on Sunday mornings, very especially on the Sundays when we celebrate the sacrament of baptism or communion. I see you. I see transfiguration in your face and actions. I witness your face shining and your heart glowing with the glory of God's love. Mostly, I know that what I am witnessing is the result of a transformation that has taken place over many years.
As I understand it, the key to transformation and transfiguration is our growing realization that we are children of God.
Transformation is that spiritual maturing that takes place as we embrace this truth. As we acknowledge in life God's love for us and our neighbours, we develop into what we truly are: children of God. That inner development I call transformation.
Then there is transfiguration. As I understand it, transfiguration is what shows on the outside as we are transformed. Transfiguration shows in our face, in our body, in our behavior, in our values.
I once heard the preacher, Peter Gordon White warns us that the face we have from birth to age 18 is a gift, but after 18 we are responsible for how we look.
I think that this change is what St. Paul had in mind when he wrote of us becoming a member of the body of Christ. Together we make up the Body of Christ, and individually, parts of it.
This process has both a light and dark side.
On the light side transformation and transfiguration show up as joy or satisfaction, and gentleness. As Jesus often displayed.
It is also true that transformation may show as indignation, dissatisfaction, and disappointment. Again, as Jesus often displayed
I need to say more about this darker side. For instance, in my experience, I may feel deep dissatisfaction inside myself when I am made aware of the injustice and pain there is in the world. This too has a transforming and transfiguring effect. It moves us to action and prayer on behalf of those who suffer oppression and hunger. At such times our transfigured faces will show deep distress - even weeping.
I and others feel God-inspired disappointment inside us when we see the church being less than the body of Christ. Again, this too has a transforming and transfiguring effect on us. It can awaken us to what we truly are called to be as children of God. At such times our transfigured faces may show deep sorrow.
But such negative insights and experiences do not defeat us. Because our transformation is grounded in God's love and God's justice we remain full of hope and press on as agents of the Realm of God. Our transfigured faces show hope and the peace that passes understanding.
What we seek in the end is what Jesus called the Kingdom of God, God's realm in which not only ourselves, but all of creation will be transformed and transfigured into a world of peace, justice and grace.
May each of us and all of us continue through this coming week to be transformed more fully into who we really are, children of God. May our faces shine in the certain knowledge of God's peace.
Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission
Let us be aware of the many ways we have been gifted by God, and the many ways God gifts us. Thanks be to God for all these gifts!