Communion of the Saints (that someday thin places might stay thin)

As we gather once again on this All Saints Sunday, we see the light of these candles and it reminds us of saints not only from this congregation but who have touched our lives. Those God has given us across time. They are on our minds today. Perhaps today more than ever we sense that presence of the communion of the saints. Today we hear words from Revelation, this last book in Scripture intended to be words of hope. At every funeral I preside over I read words from the book of Revelation and say that they are intended to be words of hope and at least half of the faces crinkle up like that is a strange statement. So many are caught up in things like imagining Armageddon, and the Rapture and who’s left behind and who will be in hell. But what we are really given is saints around the throne of God whose struggles are no more. Tears are wiped away and we’re drawn to God.

The Celtic people in Ireland speak of “thin places”- places where worlds come together- the world here and the world beyond. The barriers we normally experience are not there. There are sacred spaces where you can get that sense. There are also events that function that way and for me All Saint’s Sunday feels like that. Being drawn close to God and a longing to be together when all the struggles are done and all the tears are wiped away. And there’s a moment- that’s communion of the saints. Perhaps you experience it this day as well.

I think that’s what we experience at funerals- the thin place where people come who haven’t been here in a while, drawn closer not only by a life lived for which we give thanks to God, but often a time where people speak of a closer sense of God and what the church means- at least for a moment. We forget the things in life our loved one did that weren’t the best- they fall away and we remember the good of people and community. If only those thin places could stay thin and continue to be communion of the saints.

Yesterday I attended the funeral of a colleague, Sadie, who fought the good fight with cancer and we celebrated her life’s work, in particular, her commitment to criminal justice system ministry. Something I know some of you are connected to in different ways. Most recently she worked as a chaplain at a state correctional facility in Camp Hill where she labored tirelessly. But a mentor said she once called him with a question, in the midst of her labors, she aske- “why did some people respond to God and to help and others did not?"

Her mentor suggested that maybe some people are just broken beyond the point of being helped- their souls are just too broken. And at this point Sadie just laughed at him and said,” Why on earth would God give anyone a permanently broken soul?!” Why indeed.

And for her this was, I believe,  the vision of communion with God and the saints- a place much broader than our vision. A place where the thin place stayed thin.

That’s what Revelation points to this day. That’s what we say each week in our Creed- that the vision John speaks of is so different. The multitude around the throne- different languages, and races and lives lived- all there.

And it’s so captivating he doesn’t even stop to wonder- why are THOSE people there? He’s in awe of what God is doing, calling us all children of God with a place. It’s not about us and “our” beloved- it’s about God who God loves.

And the number continues to grow and grow and the communion gets ever larger because there are no permanently broken souls beyond help-truly. Communion of the saints means we are given this privilege by God. And we are given a purpose.

We are given this vision and we are given words of faith that include saying we believe in this communion of the saints. The words we say in our Creed- our statement of faith. After speaking of God our Creator, and Christ our Redeemer, and the power and work of the Spirit, we say more. That we believe the church is holy- may it be holy when we are here. We say is it catholic- which is a way of saying united and we say we believe in the communion of the saints. That we are in communion with God in Christ and with the saints who have died and for whom God’s promises are made known. And we are in communion here and now-we are each of us, saints. Sinners to be sure, but also saints claimed as God’s children in our baptism. Given communion- a community, and a promise and a purpose. This too is communion of the saints.

Which is why it makes complete sense that after the funeral of a saint committed to criminal justice ministry, I was meeting with a family whose lives are in another part of the system as their son works and indeed labors to make changes and to be reunited with his loved ones.

I asked him what keeps him focused and helps his work and he of course mentioned his family. But the first word was “God.” And he shared with me that he keeps a tiny Bible in his pocket because it reminds him that God is always with him. And he thinks of his family and of this church. And then he shared the work of one of our saints here who, on her own had asked for his address and without waiting to be asked or seeing if anyone else was doing so, sent him a card and a care package. He was in awe, and I was too.

He received a card of encouragement and support and candy that he could share. Candy that helped him make friends with other boys there- and I imagine them all around that box sharing- and while some might look at them and see a group of sinners- God saw communion of the saints.

The gathering of those in this life around God and community is what we are given now to give us hope. Because in this life we labor and struggle, all of us. But God in Christ Jesus gives us communion and community- may it be what we sense each time we are here. Until that day when the thin places stay thin. We’re given these things so we too can be in awe of what God is doing right now and to not rest until everyone knows it.

Does Your Sabbath Feel Like Work?

Some of you have heard me tell of my time on silent retreat recently, where my commitment to God was to try to sit and listen for five days. And about half way through the time there was a severe thunderstorm which whipped up and rain began pounding and blowing in all of the open windows of the retreat center and dripping everywhere, and then the power went out, and smoke detectors went haywire and the elevator got stuck, and we all left our silence and began scurrying around, closing windows, wiping up water, looking for towels, checking on people-talking. And we could hear the sirens of an accident at the bottom of the hill. And sometimes we need to attend to important things. But after awhile, everything that could be done was done. But it was challenging not to keep looking for things to do or rehashing what had happened as we waited for power. But really there was nothing I could do. And I heard God saying in the midst of the busy-ness around- there is only one thing. And I felt drawn to enter the chapel. Even at a religious retreat center it was empty. And there I sat alone because there was one important thing. To sit and to listen to God and to pray for those who really did have things to be doing. Be here with me, sit. And it was hard because surely I should be doing something, or even could wonder or feel guilty that I was not doing something. But there I was in this holy moment with God doing what was most important.  And wishing others were sitting there too.

And I wonder if that’s how Mary felt.

And the other day we had more time than we expected before Table Church and it was relaxed as we set up and could then instead of racing and saying, “Go ahead and start without me…” we could sit and welcome others as they came and become centered and show real hospitality. And I wonder if that’s how Mary felt.

And what Martha longed for. Because in that more Christ centered time on Wednesday it reminded some of us of that longing.

And I was struck again by a question that has been on my mind since that retreat as someone remarked how relaxing Wednesday night is because it is not like Sunday worship- here is the question.

Does Sunday morning feel like a Sabbath or like work? Do we come here and sit at the feet of Jesus together or are we, all of us, individually distracted by many things?

I’d like to invite you into a space by starting with our eyes closed. And I want to ask a series of questions. If what I ask sounds true for you raise your hand, and when what I say does not sound true, you may put your hand down.

Do you make a point of coming to Sunday worship when you have something to do?

But find you’d rather not when you don’t?

Does it feel like coming on Sunday is running the gauntlet of people looking to give you something to do?

Do you find rest here?

Has someone ever said- “Sorry to bother you but… and then finished by talking
“Church business?”

Or told you that the reason they are doing this now is because they are not sure when they will talk to you other than Sunday morning?

Do you feel distracted from spending time with Jesus here?

Do you feel that way today?

Hello, fellow Marthas- fellow distracted ones pulled in lots of directions.

All of our distractions that we brought with us and the ones we met here challenge our ability to be really present with God and with each other.

So now I want to invite you to enter a little deeper into a space where we are all here together but where I encourage you to stop and be still with God. For a minute. …….

Was it easy to be present in this moment with God?

Martha is busy and distracted- in many directions. She actually wants community ( why I am doing this alone?) and wants to be valued and loved. But she looks to her own actions as the center. Jesus is not mocking her, or belittling her, but he is trying to break the cycle to invite her to step out of herself. Because he loves her.

And he loves her and values her just as much as Mary, and he loves and values her for her own sake. And he longs to meet her and draw her to both himself and her sister.

It’s not that what she is doing is not worthwhile or even important, it’s just not critical- it does not define her or her worth, and it does not give love or life. And Jesus knows the time with him is short. What Jesus knows is that he is headed to Jerusalem and he will not be with them soon. There is only awhile. And his clarity is like that of a person who has learned there is not much time to live who can see that all the titles, or achievements by themselves are not a life. Real relationships matter.  I once met with a person who was always a doer, always giving and sending cards and striving to fill everyone’s needs. But when that was no longer possible, there was a sadness- all those years “I thought if I did, that people would do in return. I sent hundreds of cards every year, I only ever got a couple.” All those deeds did not make anyone love deeper. And all the time away from family had not created a life. And over and over there was a refrain- look what I did- why didn’t others? Why don’t people do for me? I never got to rest.” Our time here can feel like that too.

Whether you are distracted by many things here or many things elsewhere or both, Jesus says- you don’t need to do that for me to love you. And you do not need to feel alone. Come, sit, share, listen, learn. Celebrate! The most important thing is to be in my presence. To know the love, the peace, the forgiveness and the healing Jesus brings into our midst and to share it with each other.  

I invite you into a new way that I think will help us live together into the life God intends. Where our Sabbath doesn't feel like too much work. Fellow distracted ones, our time with Jesus on Sunday morning is limited. So let’s not transact business here in God’s house on the Sabbath. Let’s not track down greeters, lectors, ushers and others, or exchange papers or hand notes. There are 6 other days, and 166 other hours, each week, and many ways to communicate. When this is our focus, we miss those holy moments.

Jesus is inviting us to see our time here is precious, to listen to God, to share life with each other. To step away from distractions and into a holy moment. To rest in the word and celebrate at the table together. What give us real life and love is such a Christ centered presence. Come enter this moment- we need it and God’s deepest desire is to give this to us.