Missing the Blessing

Today as we began worship, I had one of the kids hand out glow sticks, but only to one side of the worship space. I told him to make sure everyone on the one side had glowsticks and then to sit down with the bag until later. As we were finishing our series on the 10 Commandments today, today was the day to focus on the two coveting commandments. So after the reading from Exodus 20, and then a reminder of the dialogue between Jesus and the expert in the law, I asked if everyone on the one side had a glowstick and handed out one to the person who still needed one. I reminded the congregation of my personal love of glowsticks, and asked if anyone on the side without glowsticks liked them too, and a few people raised their hands. One person wondered aloud why they had not also been given glowsticks. So I asked what they would be willing to do for a glowstick. That’s what coveting is about. Someone has something and we want it, and we set out to figure out how to get it. Specifically how to get theirs. Whenever we do this we upset people’s lives.

It all starts with a look and deciding to act. And usually it involves bigger things than glowsticks. But whenever we try to get the things others have or change relationships, we cause hurt and damage. And it usually leads to those bigger commandments. And we stop trusting in God to provide for us.

Of course we also remembered we are to share and later we did handout glowsticks to the others because Jesus calls us to love and to share.

So then we were ready to move on to the rest of the sermon, but as a way of background, last Monday, a gentleman who worshipped with us week in and week out, died suddenly and unexpectedly of cardiac arrest. He was a quiet man who sat alone each week. A few years ago he had lost his voice in a bout with throat cancer but was able to communicate with an adaptive device. Having met his family for the funeral I learned there was so much more to this man than I knew, and I felt the sting of not knowing more in my three years as pastor. And I was surprised how little anyone else knew as well. I sat with that this week and wondered how God was speaking. And so today’s sermon was in part a moment to draw together as community and start a risky conversation, knowing everyone of us needed to. And for people to hear how a quiet man saw this place in ways he also never shared.

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Perhaps one of the most notorious cases of coveting is David and Bathsheba. Bathsheba was bathing on the roof, which I know seems odd now, but then it wasn’t. She was bathing on the roof and David caught a glimpse, and she was hot. It only took a look. From then on he just had to have her, and he made it his purpose. It led him to send her husband Uriah into battle to fight a fight he couldn’t win, which also means he sent a whole army into a fight they wouldn’t survive. And he had to because he and Bathsheba had already gotten together and she was pregnant. Today on Facebook, we’d say their relationship status was “It’s Complicated.” Massive destruction of relationships occurred involving killing and lying and stealing and adultery. But it all started with a look and a desire. To have something that wasn’t his.

Coveting itself isn’t about infidelity or theft- those are other commandments. But these two coveting commandments are given, according to Luther, to show us that it is a sin to desire or in any way aim at getting something of our neighbor’s- their spouse or their possessions. It’s about relationships.

Yesterday I conducted a funeral for Art and as a part of it got to meet his wife Elizabeth and his family. And you might wonder what on earth that has to do with coveting. Well, Art had been a member here at Holy Spirit since he was a child dropped off at the Childrens’ Home nearby. And as many of you know it was the practice of the late great Pastor Radcliffe to bring children from there to here so they could have a church home. They were adopted if you will into this church family. So much so that when Pastor Radcliffe retired and later died, it was like losing a Dad for those people. Art was 79 and had been worshipping here for about 70 years. He say over there in the last row, and was usually about the first one here. Week after week.

Elizabeth has been a lifelong Catholic. And the family was raised in the Catholic church. So many of the life milestones happened there. But over the years, Elizabeth shared with me that she and Art came to agree that though they worshipped in different places, God would give them the strength to respect each other’s faith. The most important thing was being active in their faith and church. And frankly I think that there were times when as a spouse she would have had a right to say the family ought to all be together. And maybe even times they did try to influence the other. But she recognized the role this church played in Art’s life, and that he was only really going to be a Lutheran, and that his being here strengthened him to be the husband and father he was. So she didn’t work at trying to get him to change. She saw that God’s family is bigger than we think.

That’s what these commandments get at. That even if by right you could obtain something, we shouldn’t alienate someone from it. And it was obvious that Art’s life was blessed by being here with all of you. But there is another aspect of this relationship that ought to be explored and I am going to risk discussing it.

In spite of the fact that Art was here for all these years, when I was announcing his death, it seemed that not many people really knew him or who he was. That most did not. And frankly I myself, as the pastor here for three years, had to ask why I knew so little. Yes, he was quiet, but still I wonder. And it makes me sad.

And I want to suggest a very subtle aspect of coveting that churches can fall into. When I first came here one of the things people wanted me to do as the new pastor was to get everyone back who left. And the truth is that some of them had found other churches. As much as I like you want the place to be filled, going after people who have other churches is coveting. And it was important to say that trying to lure them back would be wrong. We want this place full and sometimes we are very focused on wondering how to draw more people here. At the same time however, coveting skews our perspective. Because when we get so focused on the blessing we are so sure is somewhere out there, we lose sight of the blessings in our midst. That’s the consequence of coveting- missing the blessing.

And Art was a blessing. I have heard stories of how much he adored this place, and all of you. He kept coming year after year because of you. And the encounter with God in this place. Even if you never knew it. He talked about this place with love. I wonder how many of us knew?

Last Sunday none of us knew what Monday would bring but last Sunday I preached on loving the neighbors right in front of you. And during the sharing of the peace, I have heard several of you remark that Art made a point of shaking your hand, every hand, more than usual. Loving all of you.

And then we had anointing as we do on the last Sunday each month- for healing, forgiveness, wholeness. And Art has come to receive this before, but this past Sunday he was intentional, and stood ramrod straight before me so I could make that cross on his forehead. And he was obviously pleased- he smiled, there were tears in his eyes. He was overjoyed to be here.

And I think about the beauty of the Catholic faith where anointing is a sacrament. Last rites and anointing should be offered whenever possible. And I am struck by knowing that last Sunday, Art was blessed to be in this fellowship and at Christ’s table, and to receive that cross on his forehead, the same one made in baptism, one last time- like a bookend in his life. That cross that tells us we are adopted into God’s family, and that salvation is ours. What a blessing.

It reminds us who God is for us in Christ. And we’re freed, to live. Today I hope we can remember that we should never be so focused on looking elsewhere for the blessing we miss out on how God is blessing us right here. God’s celebration is better than we imagine. And if there is someone here you realize you really don’t know- reach out and ask. No one is going to tell you it’s too late. Don’t wait- let’s live into the blessing of God’s reality now.

As Long as You're Here- Love Your Neighbors

How many of you know what important world history anniversary took place yesterday? It may not be as important to us this side of the pond as it is across the Atlantic, but yesterday, June 28, 1914 marked the day that is considered to be the starting point of World War I-the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian empire. He and his wife Sophie were visiting Sarajevo in Serbia, to inspect the troops. A show of strength to the Serbians whose territory had recently become a part of the Empire. Franz Ferdinand was visiting on just about the worst day possible- June 28 was the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo- a major symbolic show of Serbian resistance, and a rallying point for freedom fighters. During the motorcade, one of several potential assassins that day tried to kill the Archduke with a bomb. It missed his car and hit another, killing one of the Archduke’s officers. Which might have been a moment to think about the whole event. But instead, it was decided to re-route the drive. But the driver hadn’t been given the new route. And while he was trying to put the car in reverse-Shots were fired and the world changed.

And it all could have turned out differently, but it didn’t.

And Lots of neighbors could have responded differently but because they didn’t, what we now know as history began a whole new chapter of life as we know it. Within 37 days, war had been declared by the major European players, and horror on a whole new scale unfolded.

I’d like to take a moment and look at a very broad overview of what happened and how all of the 10 Commandments came into play. Let’s see if we get them all in. Serbia was trying to engage in expansionism which is another way of saying- I want what you have- which I think fits the coveting of the stuff of others ( #10). Arguably the very nature of empire building of the Austro Hungarians means that words like annexation are just a cover for taking what is not yours- stealing. (#7) Once the Archduke was assassinated, and everyone was trying to posture, most people would have told you that assassinations were pretty typical- they didn’t lead to war, unless what you really wanted to do was fight. But Franz Ferdinand’s killing was a good excuse to kill others. (That is a whole lot of #5). And while we’re at it, let’s say that it was pretty universal that war was a god to some- the thing from which you most expect what you want and where you take refuge in distress.  Clearly for the leaders of the empires, but also ultimately for others. While there were socialist movements in most of the Europeans countries that were pretty vibrant, and while the workers could claim that workers of the world should unite, and while these movements threatened strike and claimed war was insane, in the end, they believed the claim that war was in the country’s best interest. (#1). And at least for Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm believed that God had predestined the Germans for greatness- assuming we know what God ordains. #2.

The French encouraged the Russians to be aggressive, probably exaggerating the truth about their neighbors, and rumors ran in every direction-#8. This could have been avoided except that the most peace oriented member of the French government had earlier been forced to resign because he was having an affair with a mistress that created public scandal- #6 and #9.

And in the midst of this Britain, scared, pretty much assumed the “not my problem” approach- not my neighbors.

I think I probably didn’t exactly fit in the 3^rd or 4^th commandments- but surely war took no Sabbath, and doing what seemed to be right, robbed a lot of people of the sons who should be tending the land- and who were no longer there to care for elders as almost an entire generation was lost. And it could have all turned out differently. But no one was thinking of their neighbors. They were thinking about themselves.

There are whole libraries full of deciding whose actions or inactions mattered most in World War I starting- but so many points of change passed by it’s easy to decide that it was too big to stop.

And sometimes I wonder when we so easily say we should love our neighbors, don’t we deep down think that God’s call to turn toward our neighbors in love is it just too big?

In our world that continues to spiral toward aggression and nation building globally, and in our nation and city facing profound challenges. As we approach the anniversary of a day celebrating OUR freedom, are we thinking about our neighbors?

That’s what God wants to know. And what the Commandments show.

One writer has suggested that the 10 Commandments show how a freed people can live. Freed from the powers of sin and the world. A new life, if not perfectly seen, is still possible. Some today suggest we don’t know what freedom really is or we don’t appreciate it. I agree. But I am not so convinced we ever did as humans. After all World War 1 was supposed to the “War to End All Wars.”

"Freedom is often seen I think as an end to itself. It means unlimited choices, keeping options open for one’s self." We can look in history, or ponder how others we know today have it all wrong, in the end, God is speaking to us here today and asking what we think it means to live free. The commandments are “words for life.” They show what a life of freedom looks like.

"It is not when the powerful take what they want- but when we all respect the property of others, and we do our best to help them take care of it and hold onto it. It is not when the strong dominate the weak, but when the bodies and lives of all are protected and their rights respected- the young, the elderly, the impoverished, the handicapped, everyone.

It is not the endless satisfaction of every impulse, but a commitment to living as loving and committed" community. Because there is more freedom in lives committed to each other than everyone for his or herself.

So I am not preaching about self improvement- but neighbor improvement. Because "the point of the commandments is not about you and your personal growth and freedom. It’s not about “your best life now” but “your neighbor’s best life now.”

And often it does seem like it’s not our problem or there’s nothing we can do, and we settle in to believing that it can’t turn out any differently- that the sin in our world condition is as tangled as the web of history I described earlier. Why try?

Because God says again today- "OK, it seems large, but while you’re here, love your neighbors."

God calls us to move from mistrust which leads to misery. To keep moving toward freedom. And peace. And it starts small.

Start with your neighbors- God loves them so much, God gave the law so we would know how to love them. Don’t kill, or steal, or destroy others’ relationships, don’t hurt with words, or spend your time burned up about what your neighbor has and whether it’s fair.

God loves our neighbors so much we are given the law. The first part helps us love God. The second part to love everyone who is not yourself.

Likewise God loves us so much, God gives our neighbors the law.

And yes, not everyone will love us.

None of us perfectly keep the law. But then God loves the whole world so much, God gave Christ- who reminds us of the gift and challenge it is to love, but assures us of God’s love for all of us.

We experience and reflect one aspect of this love in worship here. But most of the time, the place we spend most of our hours is where God is ready for us to experience and reflect love- with our neighbors. That’s where most of living out the law happens.

It really can all turn out differently- But we need each other. And instead of waiting for someone else to do what we want, or focusing upon who deserves our love, perhaps as ever the best place to start is loving people first. Love the people right in your midst who cross your path. While you're here, love them. You or I may not solve the whole world this way, but it’s a darn good place to start.

Tuning In to God

Growing up in the 1970’s the now late great Casey Kasem was a regular part of my life. I could be found tuning in each week no matter what to American Top 40. And back in the day, as some of you know, it literally meant fussing with a dial on the radio, sometimes in the car, trying anything to hold on to that signal as Casey presided over counting down the hits. All those songs covered the emotions of my pre-adolescent life- new love, fresh breakups, parents who just don’t understand, the first days of summer, and more. And listening to the show you knew you were never alone- all those others were listening too, and you always had something to talk about- whether your song was #1, or how some poor soul had called in with a sappy long distance dedication to his long lost love as Casey cued up “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” Week after week, at the end of it all we’d be reminded to “keep our feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”

For a time I centered my whole life around being able to listen to that show. It was a “god” for me and I was totally tuned in.

Luther says that a “god” is the thing from which you expect all good and where you take refuge in distress. Preadolescent me called American Top 40 a “little g” god. I’ve moved on to others- and we all have our “little g’s.” A fact of which our creator is well aware- we’re not told to have no others gods- just no others that take first priority. That in order to have abundant life for all our goal should be to be tuned into our Creator first- to love God with all we’ve got.

And just like with that radio, it means working to tune out all those other things that bleed in and disrupt the signal of the song God is singing- that song of love and life that shapes the commandments we’re given.

This is not to say we should be hermits in a cave trying to exclude all of life. Rather to center ourselves on having balance so our “little g” gods don’t become the big G that takes over. To ask ourselves what controls our life and dictates our existence.

In the first three commandments or words for life, we hear that call to pay attention to what we allow to govern our lives, how we speak of God, and the importance of Sabbath time as all being crucial to being tuned into God.

When we work to center our lives around money, power, beauty, or anything else, it not only affects us individually, but those around us. Our living has a cost. When we resist saying “no” to ourselves we lose sight of God has the one who creates, redeems and empowers us.

But perhaps those concepts are well seen- whether we like it or not, we get the “other gods” thing.

What about how we use God’s name? I could speak of words I shouldn’t say here, or even how others put a lot of words into God’s mouth that are actually full of hate and take life. I’d like to lift up something else- how we speak God’s name to God.

God longs for us to call often, and to actually believe that invoking God’s name means forgiveness, or thanks and praise, deliverance, healing. God begins a relationship with us in baptism with a name and wants more than a long distance dedication.

Which brings me to Sabbath time. It’s a day. A day- to be tuned into God and God’s word- not an hour. And I know- I too am going out for lunch. But still this is a word for us. In Deuteronomy, Sabbath is about remembering what it was like in Egypt to never get a day off. That is a word for today. To recognize what no longer being slaves to that would mean for you, your kids, your workers, your animals- everyone deserves rest.

But in Exodus- we hear another piece. The story of God breaking into human existence. Redeeming people is not just about God being all powerful. It’s about God being related- to our lives- in all and with all.

Rolf Jacobsen speaks of Sabbath then being intended to show us regularly that God’s grace is breaking through. Not just once for the Israelites, or once in Jesus, or even just once a week for an hour. Regularly.

Worship is the ritual that reminds us of this. We are to here to be reminded not of usher lists or greeters or other things. We are here to be reminded that God’s grace is routine.

Grace breaking in is why I ask where we’ve seen God at work.

We have to rest sometimes to ponder that.

Sabbath reminds us that God’s law is for every day. Keeping Sabbath is keeping faith with the One who keeps faith with us. Worship is being a community centered in this Christ, and re-centering to tune in to God’s constant song- of forgiveness, and love, in praise and in mission.

Together.

And I wonder- what would happen if we all started telling all the other influences that try to bleed in, to stop interrupting our favorite song, and let God’s song be the one that gets stuck in our heads?

Again this day we’ve heard forgiveness, and we’re about to be fed as we sing of God in Christ who became more fully present in our world to show us God’s law of love.

And this is where I think Casey had it wrong-

We don’t have to keep trying to reach for the stars and hoping it works out- God’s already here and waiting for us to tune in.

AMEN

 

God's Words for Life

We began 4 weeks of sermon series using the Narrative Lectionary texts of Exodus 19:1-6 and 20:1-17 on the Sunday of Holy Trinity. Week one is an overview of the thrust of the Commandments, the week 2 is the 1^st tablet of the Law and Week 3 is the 2^nd before a summation. The Exodus passage is paired with the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus is asked by the expert in the law what is the greatest commandment and Jesus responds with “love the Lord you God with all you heart, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself for upon these rest the law and the prophets-

 

When I was growing up, my father periodically had helpful advice for me. My Mom had LOTS of advice. But my Dad didn’t spend so much time in the explaining. His advice was often simpler and more straightforward. And if I summed it up in one phrase, it would be, “Take it from me, don’t do this the hard way.” Just Ten Simple Words. “take it from me don’t do this the hard way” was easy to remember, and easy to hear in the middle of whatever new opportunity for making decisions about how to live with integrity was before me. Or hopefully words to hear BEFORE ending up in some new chaos, or mess. Happy Father’s Day, Dad-I forgot to get a card.

Somehow those 10 words don’t have the same power.

My Dad’s ten simple words were also first and foremost about the speaker. His words assumed that I believed that my father loved me, had saved me before, and had my present and future at heart. And that he cared who I would be in the bigger world.

My Dad also told me to dare to do things, and I was free to do this because of our relationship. In then end, it’s all rooted in that loving relationship that held together those ten simple words.

And I think that’s a good way to begin our four weeks together with the Ten Commandments. Or as the Hebrew would tell us we could say it- God’s Ten Words. And boy does that sound different, doesn’t it? God’s Ten Words given for life.

Different than a lot of the popular images we have- from Charlton Heston in the iconic movie, to people trying to post them in courtrooms to tell “bad people” we’re judging them and God is too.

Let’s step away from all that.

And remember how these words came to be in the Book of Exodus, or as David Lose says, “ Remember that 19 came before 20.”
In Chapter 19 of Exodus, the people are reminded of the relationship between God and the people before they hear about the framework of Chapter 20. And the people haven’t done anything to earn it.

It’s just pure grace.

Before there’s any talk about obeying or law, God’s children are reminded how God has already filled their lives, so that they can then respond. Already freed, already believing- ready to dare to live as God’s people. Because “I the Lord you God have delivered you, brought you out of captivity, borne you up on eagle’s wings.”

And the people would have immediately gotten the image. But in case we don’t it’s the image not of a father, but a mother. Mother eagles not only flutter over their young to protect them when they are vulnerable, they also get busy pushing them out of the nest when they must grow and mature. And they learn to fly. But she is nearby ready to swoop in and bear them up if they start to fall. Not caught in talons, borne up on wings. Lifted. Because that’s how God is.

The loving Creator who initiates our whole existence, is fully involved. Creator, Redeemer, Nurturer – one whom we can trust. So when the 10 words are spoken they are spoken by a God who has the past, present and future at heart. Who wants life for them. Who loves them and wants them to live for others in a way that reflects that love God has for all creation.

In ten simple words intended to be direct, easy to use and remember, that can shape each new situation, and spare people and creation from chaos. Words to help them be who they were created to be.

Martin Luther has said “Know the 10 Commandments, know Scripture” and I think it’s so because while we are not the people of Israel, we as God’s people in this time are still able to be guided by God’s unchanging ideal. God’s unchanging ideal of love. Words given by a God whose grace is determined that people never be left without direction. Either individually or as a community.

Ten words whose fulfillment in Christ mean that our salvation is never in question. This is the opposite of how our culture envisions “command” or “law.” In places where we too ask which commandment is greatest or whose sin is too great.

The Commandments are neither a vehicle for assuring our salvation, nor are they a tool for assessing the guilt of others. They are intended to be words that hold together a life. The life we see most fully in Christ who came not to condemn or get rid of the law, but to show us what fulfilling it looks like.

And instead of being narrow, they open up possibilities that are limitless, like God’s love. Commands seem limiting. Words seem unbounded, and I suspect that the truth is that the words we are given can sound like a limit or a promise depending upon where you stand. When we think of all the ways our actions speak to the things God puts before us.

And here’s the real kicker- these words are not about you, or you, or you. They’re always about someone else. You and I are the actors, but not the receivers. We don’t try to follow this life because of what we get-they are about the community. And the realization that the life and health of others stems from what you, and you and you, do or don’t do.

These words call us to infuse the world with the love we’ve received, that goes beyond words. Because whether we have memorized them is not really the point.

Reflecting the love of a Creator who has guaranteed our salvation and who empowers us to dare for the sake of that love is.

Because we’ve got nothing to lose! We can risk believing that these words are not only a guide but an invitation to go beyond. Knowing that when we worry about what’s beyond the nest, or we feel like we’re freefalling, we will be lifted up. God’s words are not here to weigh us down but to show us what freedom looks like, and to share that with others. So we can dare to face each new opportunity in faith and integrity assured because God is our God for life.

It's How We're Wired

This morning I had you all turn to face the center aisle as I read the gospel so that we could be centered and connected to each other and the word. We’ll come back to that in a bit but first, as you know, tomorrow is an important day in our country. We call it Memorial Day, but it was first known as Decoration Day, and there are a variety of stories about how the day began to be observed. One story is that in 1865, Henry C Wells, a local druggist in Waterloo, NY mentioned to some friends at a social gathering that while it was important to praise the living veterans of the Civil War, he was concerned that people were losing sight of remembering those who had died. And thus began a year long process of forming a group to plan the decorating of graves of their dead and conduct the appropriately proper event. The first such event took place one year later in 1866.

Also in 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, the flashpoint of secession that began that same Civil War, African American clergy were concerned that a burial ground of war dead was untended. And they began meeting. It was the burial ground of 257 Union soldiers who had been Confederate prisoners of war. The now freed men, women and children spent 10 days building a fence and whitewashing it, landscaping the graves into neat rows and erecting an archway over the gate to the cemetery. Then they held a procession, carrying armloads of flowers, and wreaths and crosses which were so numerous that after they were all placed, “not a speck of earth beneath them” could be seen. And then, they prayed, heard Scripture and speeches, and sang “America” and “The Star Spangled Banner.” The perfume of the flowers and the notes of their voices filled the air as they connected themselves to people they did not know but for whom they felt moved by the Spirit to love. And it was courageous- for a group of freed slaves, in the Deep South, in a place still torn apart by the war, to honor those men.

Both of these events claim to be the first observance, but I’m not sure that who’s first matters, but that the Spirit of truth moved.

As I read these two accounts, I thought about three things:

First, how easy it is to forget why we do what we do- after all, what are your plans for tomorrow?

Second, how our culture has oddly shifted so that we are far more elaborate in remembering the dead sometimes than in lifting up the living

And yet…

That walking alongside each other is how we are wired.

And these are things Jesus is lifting up to his disciples as he is saying farewell. He knows he will go on to die on the cross, and return to the Father and he is preparing them. They are telling him they love him and are in disbelief that he is leaving. And we hear Jesus say, “remember. If you love me ( and I know you do), keep my commandments. Do as I have done and now command you to do. Love.”

“I am leaving but God the Father is sending you another-the Spirit.” And then Jesus describes the Spirit in a word we hear translated as “Advocate.” In it’s original form, the word is “paracletos.” You can dazzle your friends with that word. It is often translated as “Advocate” or “Counselor” or even “Supporter.” And each of those ideas helps us envision the role of the Spirit. Each helps us remember why we do what we do, and what to do, and empowers us to then do it.

The Advocate in court takes a stand, reminds others of what is important or necessary or right. A Counselor guides people in how decisions ought to made or completed. A supporter lifts others up in their work. All useful. But today I want to focus on another definition of that word “Paracletos,” one lifted up by David Lose, now the incoming President of the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia. That “paracletos” is “one who walks alongside another.”

Jesus describes the Spirit this way as we hear him say “ I will not leave you orphaned.” Promising not to leave us alone-you will not be abandoned. As I look around I see almost all of you are not alone- but Jessica, I see you and Cal are each sitting by yourselves. Can you go and join him in his pew? Now- not alone. Not only walking alongside, but sitting alongside.

Jesus also tell us that the Spirit is not the first God has sent to fulfill this role. That is Spirit is “another.” Jesus was the first. Born into the world to come alongside us to help humanity see and know an otherwise invisible God. To make that connection I spoke of as I began this sermon. And if you think about it, all of the stories of Christ’s ministry show this- from walking up to random fishermen and saying, “follow me” to all that follows of healing and forgiveness and love. Even reaching out from the cross to a dying thief, promising “today you will be with me” and to those not even looking, gasping, “Father, forgive them.” Advocating to the last.

This same connection is promised to us in the Spirit.

That the Spirit will continue to come alongside us so we can remember why we do what we do and to endeavor to do it. And we are told this same Spirit dwells in us- each of us and all of us as a community in the Spirit. You are each little “paracletos!” The ones who walk alongside others doing as Jesus did-sharing with others in comfort, in faith, in courage and loss. Because “loving Jesus most fully is seen in doing what he said to do-Love.”

This love is the work of the living. Which brings me to the part about our focus as a culture. As the daughter of a living veteran, I am appalled that we as a nation spend ungodly sums of money making war, and making elaborate displays of the caskets of those who have died, but cannot spend what it takes to care for the living wounded, who sacrifices seemingly go unnoticed.

Not only am I the daughter of a veteran, I am the great granddaughter of a man who emigrated from Germany as a leather worker, who a generation after the Civil War found work- wrapping the leather around the artificial limbs of those Civil War veterans who were shattered.

The Spirit of truth calls us to lift up those who have served and survived so they don’t die awaiting care on a hidden list, or end up homeless, or tortured by post-combat stresses they fight alone. We must walk alongside them also-in real life and accept the cost as part of being that community in the Spirit. Those who serve as they are commanded and their families should not feel abandoned.

This is just one way we remember that love is the work of the living and it is for the living not just the dead. And it’s for all whether we know them or not.

And the Spirit reminds that this is not just work of a day. Many days ago now we celebrated with processions, and singing, flowers, prayers and crosses another day- That Easter day where we proclaimed Christ is risen- He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Praise God!

It’s still Easter! And Christ is risen and the Spirit is present-in all the other places of our living too. This is the good news! Sometimes our culture suggests that we shouldn’t talk about losses in our lives. So we don’t. But then we miss out on the comfort, care and solidarity of community God intends. The Spirit comes to help us combat- yes, combat against another enemy- ISOLATION.

Where are those places of pain, in need of healing, of loneliness where you need to see Jesus and us walking alongside?

Today again we will be offering anointing for healing and wholeness. Not isolation. Wholeness. Today again we will experience and share communion- Christ with us in the bread and wine for us all. Wholeness, healing, communion. Love.

This is how God is wired, and how we are.

It’s like Memorial Day- we are here to remember. The difference is that through Christ and in the Spirit, it’s everyday.

Thanks be to God!

 

Do You See What He's Done?

On Maundy Thursday I offer individual absolution and laying on of hands. After this I also offer corporate forgiveness in the name of Christ,  not only for those who did not come forward, but for our sins as community.
This was the message later...



Do you know what he's done? What Jesus has done? Tonight we don't hear Jesus talk about Holy Communion. It's what makes the Gospel of John different. We come here on Maundy Thursday expecting to hear "do this in remembrance of me" followed by words about bread and wine. WHAT IF...instead we were given what we hear in tonight's gospel as the way of remembering that last night with the disciples? We'd be washing feet each week. You seem underwhelmed. Or maybe overwhelmed.

We'd be told to strip away all of what gives us our status, and empty ourselves of our ideas about it all. And wash each others feet. All the dirt, and the scrapes. The wounds and literally sometimes all the crap that our feet drag around. Just as true in all the places we come from as Galilee. And cleansed, loved, and forgiven. Do you know what he's done?

And it's not just about the feet. It's about the love. Servant love. That loves our unloveliness. Servant love.

Years ago our daughters were arguing over having to clean up the mess in the room they shared and at the height of the row, I heard one of them bellow, "I AM NOT YOUR SERVANT!!" Followed by stomping down the stairs to present the offending sister in hopes I would do something about it
So often, we too want to say, if we're being honest, in the middle of people and situations we encounter, "I AM NOT YOUR SERVANT!"  and do the same.

Do you know what Jesus has done?

He has not only gotten down on his hands and knees, and entered the grittiness of our humanity, he's cleaned up the mess. And he's done it for ALL, even Judas, knowing full well what is to come.

Knowing the very real fact that evil will take up residence in Judas and lead him to be someone it's hard to imagine he'd become. And it will take up residence in Peter and lead him to speak words he swore he never would.

Henri Nouwen writes that we, "People who live close together, can be great sources of sorrow for one another. When Jesus chose the 12, he chose Judas among them. He's called a traitor, literally in the Greek, 'one who hands another over to suffering.' And the truth is that there is something of the traitor in each one of us. Because each of us hands over our fellow human beings to suffering- somehow, somewhere. Mostly without intending it, or maybe even knowing it. When we are willing to confess that often we hand over those we love ( and those we are called to love) even against our own best intentions, we will be more ready to forgive those who mostly against their will, are the causes of our pain."

Because we all muddy the water.

We are called to remember- to re-live- what Jesus has done- for you, for me, for us all. To be shaped by his servanthood and to hear again the command-love each other like this.
He summons us to come and be cleansed and then draws us into a different world
of communion and community
And it can't just be about being with the ones we like.
It's also about being with the misunderstood, the betrayer and the enemy whoever we imagine them to be.

When it's all stripped away we see who we really are- all of us.

Then... we see, just how profound it is what Jesus has done

That we can't stop God's love and forgiveness. We can't stop God's commitment in Christ
To humanity at it's stinkiest and most busted places.

Do you see what Jesus has done? What Jesus does still?
Love EVERYONE like this
Remember

When Empty is Good

They go the tomb and it is empty. Empty. Things that are empty are not usually positive- the empty gastank, the empty bank account, the empty refrigerator. Empty is a place of fear, of not enough- that its not enough, or we’re not enough. Empty just by watching your faces tells me feels like doubt, or fears. They go to the tomb and hear- not here. And whether “not here” is like that voicemail message when we wanted help or that spot where someone used to be, “not here” tells of feeling alone, and of loss and sadness. Empty and not here- often means what we don’t see. The women come desperate for meaning and first encounter empty and “not here.”

But then they are rocked with something more. And encounter what happens when empty turns out to be a good thing. It’s mystifying and not fully there. They don’t get to see Jesus but they hear one thing.

But they hear he has risen and to go and tell.

And somehow it is enough

To leave the tomb and move forward instead of remaining paralyzed like the guards. No amount of words can fully capture what that glimpse and truth would mean.

They leave with that and a promise they will learn more on the way.

It’s not everything but it’s good news. And they don’t leave just with the same ration of fear and sadness, they leave with fear AND joy. Both.

Sometimes people tell us that to be a believer means that when we face the unknown or mystifying we just need to have faith.

Not so says the resurrection story.  

Having fear is not the absence of faith. Instead God sent a messenger to help us see the difference between stunned and stuck. Even when we feel like we’re moving but we’re not sure how.

Somehow some of the fear has been left behind in that tomb with the old grave clothes and yesterday.

And it’s replaced with a seed of faith and joy

That there really is new life in this story

There really is more than we see.

Because God has acted and Christ is risen and though we don’t understand all of it, we really will be given what we need on the way.

And as the story is shared, and other things are seen and heard, each who encounters will come to faith, but differently. Just like us. That somehow we see that what seems empty is good.

Recently there was another moment where empty is good- it was last Sunday when we had our first Sunday as one unified worshipping flock. And at the end of communion, the napkin the holds the bread was empty! There were enough of us here that I got the last little tiny bite. Empty! Praise God! I think that moment was one where we gathered in fear and joy and wondered if it would all be OK. And God delighted us with more to strengthen our faith together. That bread napkin was empty! And it was good.

There’s a third time that empty is good. It’s when this place is empty. When we who have been forgiven fed and filled, leave. Because the sharing of the gospel is happening out there along the way. I hope and believe and am filled with joy as I continue to see new faces here- young and old, from everywhere. And I don’t think they’re here because they suspect we have it all together. I think it’s because we are willing to share how we have encountered the good news and invite people to come and see with us on the way.

Some of you have come this day brimming with good news in your lives, and some have come hoping to hear Alleluias that maybe will start to feel true. Still others may wonder if the experience will match the greatness of expectations, or fear that you won’t pull off the perfect Easter day.

Each time we gather and share the story of Christ and share in resurrection, we share those glimpses we see on the way that strengthen us all. Those messages that allow us to look into that tomb and leave behind some of the fears.

And in place of that spot, the emptiness is filled with joy, and with faith. And that’s why I want to invite and encourage each one of you here to keep walking on the way, keep coming again to speak of things that looked empty but led to new life. Of the mysterious power and love of a God that wants to fill our empty places and replace our fears with joy.

God wants to help as us see in the way Brian McClaren has stated it-“that it is enough to faithfully and simply tell the story- of women at dawn, of men running half believing, of rolled stones and folded grave clothes. Of a supposed gardener saying the name of a crying woman, and sad walkers encountering a stranger on the road home. Of an empty tomb and overflowing hearts….(and) God comes to give us wisdom to know that the best we can do is stand in awe. Christ’s work on the cross and that empty tomb surpass all our flowers and flourishes on this day of mysterious hope beyond all words.

May we be less conscious of achieving the perfect decorations, or the finest music or wondering if our emptiness shows. May we instead be drawn more deeply into the confidence in in the Risen Christ whose presence here trumps it all.  God is a God of new life and never-ending possibility. Forgiveness and grace and love for us.

May we this day be surpassed by the simple but undeniable joy of standing together and daring to proclaim the good news- Risen Indeed! Alleluia! That death is not the last word. Violence, hate, condemnation, betrayal and failure are not the last word.

No. Each of them are left behind like rags at that tomb. And from that tomb arises Christ- Alive! For us! Forever!