Sermon: Proper 9 - RCL A - "The Burden"

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Jesus said to the crowd, "To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

`We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we wailed, and you did not mourn.'

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon'; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The house we live in is old and over the past seven years we’ve done a considerable amount of work to it.  However, on some occasions we did more than we had anticipated.  For example there was the dining room.  It had this very cheap wainscoting that was coming off.  So one day Robyn is headed into town and I say, “Pick up some paint for the dining room.  I’m going to pull this wainscoting off and then we can paint it up nice.”  Robyn had been gone for about twenty minutes when I called her up and said, “Pick up a shopvac while you are there.”  “Why?”  “You don’t want to know.”… What had happened?.. when I pulled the wainscoting off, the wall came with it.  That simple paint job took about four weeks.  When you’ve got an hour or two, I’ll tell you about how the remodel of the kitchen led to the complete gutting and remodel of the upstairs bathroom… If I see another cast iron sewer pipe in the next 50 years it will be too soon.

We’ve all had these types of instances.. it is a bit of a domino effect.  Do this.. then this happens.. causing that to go.. and on and on.  What started off as a simple chore ends up a great burden…. In our Gospel reading today, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens” and we know that the burden he was referring to was the burden of the Law given to Moses for the people and the priesthood.. and like that domino effect.. one point of the law always led up to another point of the law where all the various laws had a tendency to stack up on themselves…

There is Jewish parable told by a Rabbi that demonstrates how burdensome the Law actually was… the Rabbi says.. "There was a poor widow in my neighborhood who had two daughters and a field. When she began to plough, Moses (i.e. the Law of Moses) said, `You must not plough with an ox and an ass together.' When she began to sow, he said, `You must not sow your field with mingled seed.' When she began to reap and to make stacks of corn, he said, `When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it' (Deut.24:19), and `you shall not reap your field to its very border' (Lev.19:9). She began to thresh, and he said, `Give me the heave-offering, and the first and second tithe.' She accepted the ordinance and gave them all to him.

What did the poor woman then do? She sold her field, and bought two sheep, to clothe herself from their fleece, and to have profit from their young. When they bore their young, Aaron (i.e. the demands of the priesthood) came and said, `Give me the first-born.' So she accepted the decision, and gave them to him. When the shearing time came, and she sheared them, Aaron came and said, `Give me the first of the fleece of the sheep' (Deut.18:4). Then she thought: `I cannot stand up against this man. I will slaughter the sheep and eat them.' Then Aaron came and said, `Give me the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach' (Deut.18:3). Then she said, `Even when I have killed them I am not safe from you. Behold they shall be devoted.' Then Aaron said, `In that case they belong entirely to me' (Num.18:14). He took them and went away and left her weeping with her two daughters."

The Law was the burden that the people were carrying and to that Jesus says, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

There is a legend concerning Jesus which tells of his carpenter years. The legend claims that Jesus was one of the master yoke-makers and folks came from miles around for a yoke, hand carved and crafted by him.

When customers ordered the yokes they brought the oxen with them and Jesus would take precise measurements.. after a week or so the owner would return with the oxen and Jesus would carefully place the newly made yoke over the shoulders of the oxen.. then he would “fine tune” the yokes.. removing rough spots.. smoothing out edges that would eventually rub sores.. making the yokes a perfect match for that pair of oxen.

When Jesus says, “my yoke is easy”.. a more accurate translation of the Greek would be “well-fitting”.. my yoke is well-fitting.. Jesus is not saying that there will be nothing for us to carry, because we also know that Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”.. the burden – that is the cross – must be carried, but it is one that can be borne by us.

So.. we are no longer burdened by the Law as given by Moses.. we have exchanged that for the yoke of Christ which is well fitting and light.  But.. if this is true – which it is – then why do so many of us still carry around such heavy burdens?  Such heavy loads?...  If you dare look in the mirror, you’ll see the answer.  So often.. the yoke over our shoulders is not the one that has been tailored made by Christ.. it is the one we’ve made ourselves and consists of our inability to receive the unconditional love of God.

You all know the story of the Prodigal Son.. received his inheritance before his father’s death and went off and squandered it.  Ended up broke and starving.  So he says, I will return to my father and be a servant, because at least his servants are treated well… and the scripture says he returns.. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him…” and what did his father do?… He yelled at him and said, “Step one foot on this property and you’re a dead man”… No.. Scripture says that the father “was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”.. yet we hear that passage.. and we can’t imagine that it is speaking about us.. Oh sure.. it is true for everyone else, but not me… We can’t sort it out in our minds and our hearts that Jesus would allow ME to exchange the burden of my self-made yoke for the love of God.

That parable of the woman and her two daughters that explained the continuous demands of the Law.. well, we are no longer under that Law, but that parable is representative of the continuous demands – the conditions – we place on ourselves before allowing ourselves to receive God’s love… “I can accept God’s love if I do this,” but once we have done “that”.. then we say, “God would love me if only I could be forgiven of this”.. and once we finally forgive ourselves we say, “I will be accepted by God when.. if.. after.. etc… etc.. etc.

Think back on the story of Lazarus.. the one that Jesus raised from the dead..  brother of Mary and Martha...  Jesus arrives at the tomb of Lazarus and tells those gathered there to roll away the stone, but Martha objects, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been there four days.”… Jesus says to us, “Live! Throw down your burdens and accept my love” and we say, “Lord, I can’t.  I’ve been dead in sin for so long that I stink.”… and we don’t believe that we are ones who are worthy to receive the life… the love that he is offering.

Thomas Merton asked the question of himself, “Who am I?”.. and then he wrote the answer, “I am one loved by Christ.”… We must divorce ourselves from those self imposed burdens.. we must throw them off and learn to say with Merton, “I am one loved by Christ.”… say that with me… “I am one loved by Christ.”.. believe it….. Yes.. we were dead.. there was a stench, but we have been raised with Christ because of God’s great love for us.  We are given new life… “the old order of things has passed away.”

Yes.. there is the burden of your own cross that you must bear, but it is well-fitted for you.. and it is not a burden that is carried out of command or compunction.. it is one that is carried out of love.. and there is a difference.. as a Rabbi stated, “My burden is become my song.”.. or think of that story of an older man who sees a young boy carrying a lame boy on his back and commenting, “That’s a heavy burden for you to carry.”… to which the young boy responds.. “He’s not heavy – anyone care to finish that one? – he’s my brother.”… The burden given to us by Jesus is given in love.. and if received in love, it will never be heavy… Set down your self imposed burdens.. and receive the love of God.

Let us pray… God, our Father, may we love You in all things and above all things. May we reach the joy which You have prepared for us in Heaven. Nothing is good that is against Your Will, and all that is good comes from Your Hand. Place in our hearts a desire to please You and fill our minds with thoughts of Your Love, so that we may grow in Your Wisdom and enjoy Your Peace. Amen.

31 Days of Prayer

Sermon: Proper 8 - RCL A - "Dork!"

Matthew 10:40-42

Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

So… I am a dork.  It’s true.  I’ve tried not to be a dork, but it always ends in an epic fail.  I think dark socks with sandals are OK… I’ve been researching movie theaters within a 100 mile radius to determine where I want to go and watch the second installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows… and this past week I found this really cool app for my phone that scans the square QR codes you see on some products and then launches your browser to the indicated web site… yeah.. I’m a dork… and I don’t know if you have to be a dork to cheer at movies, but when I’m at home by myself watching.. say “Rocky” and I catch myself sitting in my chair throwing punches with Rocky at Apollo Creed.. I kind of feel like a dork then too.

In fact, I have cheered at a number of movies.. it’s a bit uncomfortable when you’re the only one in a crowded theater that does.. but the folks around me just look at each other and say, “What a dork.”… There was that scene at the end of the Matrix when Mr. Anderson and his two sidekicks fire this barrage of bullets at Neo.. and Neo holds up his hand and simply says, “No.”.. and the bullets stop in mid-flight – I cheered.  I probably even cheered when I saw Snoopy defeat the folding chair in “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”

And I remember a scene from The Untouchables that made me cheer… the movie was about Eliot Ness and his team as they try and bring down Al Capone in Chicago… Ness is played by Kevin Costner.. and he meets this incorruptible Irish cop named Jimmy Malone played by Sean Connery… but Malone wants to make sure that Ness really wants to get Capone.. so he pulls him into a church for a private word… Malone says to Ness, “You said you wanted to know how to get Capone.  Do you really want to get him?  You see what l'm saying?.... What are you prepared to do?”…. Ness responds, “Everything within the law.”…. Malone fires back, “And then what are you prepared to do?.... If you open the ball on these people, you must be prepared to go all the way.  Because they won't give up the fight until one of you is dead.”….. Ness, “l want to get Capone.  l don't know how.”…. “Here's how you get Capone,” says Malone, “he pulls a knife, you pull a gun.  He sends one of yours to hospital, you send one of his to the morgue! That's the Chicago way!  And that's how you get Capone.”… I watched that scene and I was like, “Yeah!”

I’m sure that I’m not the only one that cheers at movies.. or at many things for that matter.  We all have those things we get excited about.  The stock market goes up we cheer.  Our team wins the big game… We sink a long putt… For once we don’t look like a dork… or maybe it is something like the birth of a grandchild.. Doing well on a test.. getting your driver’s license.. these things make us smile.. they make us cheer.

Consider this parable of Jesus, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me – cheer with me – I have found my lost sheep.’”… I guess since they didn’t have the multiplex theater in Jesus’ day that this was the sort of thing folks got excited about…

Then Jesus goes on to say, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

What I find so interesting is the disconnect between the things we find to cheer about and the things that heaven itself cheers about… I’m not saying that its wrong to cheer at a movie, the birth of a child, or any of that.. that’s part of being joyful.. its part of being alive.. but let me ask you this… We read the story of Abraham being called by God to sacrifice his son Isaac… Most folks dislike that story.. but there towards the end.. the angel of the LORD called from heaven… "Abraham, Abraham!... Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."…

When you heard that.. did you want to cheer?  Did you want to cheer because God spoke from heaven?  Or because he provided a substitute for the sacrifice of Isaac?  Did you want to cheer because Abraham loved God so much that he was prepared to give it all up, no matter the cost?

How about this.. Jesus walked on water..  Peter walked on water for a bit.. Jesus saved Peter as he was sinking… Did that make you cheer? … Ever been as excited about telling someone about how Jesus fed 5,000 as you were about telling them the latest gossip?

Ever get excited about sharing the love of God?... Saint Therese De Lisieux wrote, “How terrible, I thought, that no act of love is ever made in hell! And I told God that I was ready to go there myself, if it pleased Him to contrive, in that way, that for all eternity there would be one loving soul in that abode of blasphemy.”… so excited about the love of God that she was prepared to exchange the glories of heaven for the fires of hell, so that there would be one soul in hell proclaiming that love of God.

Do you get excited when you see others living out their Christian faith?  Do you want to cheer them on?... The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”… when you see someone pouring out their life like you pour out a glass of water for their faith.. do you encourage them?  Do you cheer them on?

Is this the kind of life you want for yourself?... St. Josemaria Escriva – the founder of Opus Dei – wrote “To defend his purity, Saint Francis of Assisi rolled in the snow, Saint Benedict threw himself into a thorn bush, St. Bernard plunged into an icy pond… You…. what have you done?”

Is this the kind of life you want for yourself?  A life that is prepared to give it all up.. a life that’s not afraid to try and walk on the water.. a life that plunges into the icy pond?... A life that gets excited about their faith and cheers for the things of God?  If you answer, “Yes.”… then the question to you is the same that Malone asked Elliot Ness… “What are you prepared to do?”.. and once you’ve answered that question the next question is also the same, “And then what are you prepared to do?”…

To ask, “What are you prepared to do for your faith?” is essentially asking, “What are you prepared to sacrifice?”… Yes.. sacrifice…..

If you want your family to thrive.. to be happy and so on… You must sacrifice of yourself.  If you want your world to be a better place.. you have to sacrifice of yourself.  If you want this church to make it.. you have to sacrifice.. you have to want this.. you have to be excited about your faith.. you have to make sacrifices of yourself.

What holds you back?  If I were to make a wager.. I would say fear holds you back… Fear is what holds us back, because we are so afraid that the world will look at us and say, “God.. what a dork!”.. and they might.. but there will be some who will want what you have.. they’ll want to know how they can have it too… and they will welcome you into their lives.. and in doing so will welcome God into their lives… Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”… If this is not what we want then we might as well lock the doors, put a “For Sale” sign up in the front yard, and go home now, because I think it would be better for us to do nothing than to do this half way.

You have within you something mighty to cheer about… You have it within you the gift to show God to the world… You have it within you to fill this temple with the people of God.. but you have to want it… You have to sacrifice… You have to be prepared to go all the way.

Let us pray… O God! our refuge and our strength, look down with favor on Thy people who cry to Thee; and through the intercession of the glorious and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Saint Joseph her Spouse, of Thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the Saints, in mercy and goodness hear our prayers for the conversion of sinners, and for the liberty and exaltation of our holy Mother the Church. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

RIP: Darlene Hand

Darlene Ann Hand, 82, of Helena/Anaconda passed away Saturday, June 18, 2011 at her Anaconda residence.  Darlene’s four children were at her bedside when she died following a courageous battle with cancer. 

Darlene was born to Ted and Ann Riemann in Hardin, Montana on November 16, 1928.  The second oldest of 6 children (Arden, Darlene, Teddy, Dorman, Donna, and Curt), Darlene’s early years were spent on a farm where she shared chores with siblings and developed the sense of responsibility and strong work ethic that so characterized her adult life. 

At age 13 she moved with her family to Columbus, MT and graduated from Columbus High School in 1947.  Later that year she moved to Seattle, WA to attend beauty school and learn the trade she had dreamed about since childhood.   On graduating from beauty school in 1948, Darlene moved to Helena, MT and began a career as a beauty operator that would span more than 60 years. 

In 1950 she married James A. Hand who was recalled to active duty in the Navy a week later.  On his return from service, Darlene and Jim purchased the house on Helena’s upper west side that became (with several expansions) the family home in which they would raise their four children (Robyn, Patty, Jim, and David).  

One of the expansions included build-out of Darlene’s Beauty Shop, where many a distinguished lady returned week after week for more than 60 years because they left her shop even prettier than when they walked in.  In the end, Darlene’s customers were not so much clientele as they were dear friends and extended family.

Darlene worked out of her home-based beauty shop in Helena until the age of 81 when, at the urging of her children, she stopped working and finally began to enjoy some well-deserved rest.  She moved to Anaconda in September 2010 to discover the joys of retired life.  As was her way, she quickly met and befriended many fine people in the communities of Anaconda, Deer Lodge, and Philipsburg. 

It would be easy to remember Darlene most for her kind and caring nature, as those traits were always evident to her friends, family, and her beloved animals.  For those close to her, especially her children, she will also be remembered for the tenacity and toughness that belied her gentle demeanor.  In the face of a grave illness it was not her way to ask “Why me?” but rather to ask “Why not me?” as she confronted the challenge head on with grace, courage, and a sense of humor.  She is an inspiration to her children, their families, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. 

Darlene was preceded in death by her husband James, her parents Ted and Ann Riemann, her brothers Teddy, Dorman, and Curt, her sister Donna, and granddaughter Christine.

She is survived by her four children Robyn Lynn (John Toles) of Anaconda, Patty Ann of Helena, James Patrick (Valerie) of Round Rock, Texas, and David Matthew (Becky) of Great Falls/Helena.  Darlene also leaves behind 11 Grandchildren and 11 Great Grandchildren.

Darlene’s family would like to thank all the special people in Anaconda and Helena who stepped forward to comfort her and the entire family during this difficult time.  Their kindness and compassion will be remembered always.  The family would also like to give special thanks to the skilled professionals at Anaconda Pintler Hospice whose compassionate care and quality service were above and beyond expectations and instrumental in helping the family cope.

A wake and memorial service will be held at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Anaconda on Friday, June 24, 2011.  Visitation will begin at 6:00 p.m. with prayers beginning at 7:00 p.m.  A requiem mass and memorial service will also be held at St. Peter’s (Episcopal) Cathedral in Helena on Saturday, June 25.  The service will begin at 1:00 p.m. with inurnment to follow at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery, Fort Harrison.

Memorials in Darlene’s name are suggested to Anaconda Pintler Hospice, 305 W. Pennsylvania, Ste. 1, Anaconda, MT 59711.  Arrangements are under the care of Retz Funeral Home in Helena in cooperation with Riddle Funeral Homes in Anaconda.

Sermon: Pentecost I - RCL A - "5,524 Square Miles"

Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Famous last words…
 
“Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French Fries’!” // Said by: James French, a convicted murderer, who was sentenced to the electric chair. He shouted these words to members of the press who were to witness his execution.
 
“I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.” // Said by: Humphrey Bogart

“Dammit…Don’t you dare ask God to help me.” // Said by: Joan Crawford to her housekeeper who began to pray aloud.

“You have won, O Galilean.” // Said by: Emperor Julian, having attempted to reverse the official endorsement of Christianity by the Roman Empire.

“Now, now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies.” // Said by: Voltaire when asked by a priest to renounce Satan.

I think mine will be, “Sure, I can take a fifth church.”… that will be said moments before Robyn slays me with a frying pan.

In our Gospel reading today.. we have Jesus’ lasts words on earth as recorded by Matthew… "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

We know this passage as the Great Commission… The short version is.. “Go into the world, make disciples, baptize, and obey.”… These are not passive verbs, but active.. Go.. Make.. Baptize.. Obey.. Now these words are not just for the ordained, but for all believers.. for the “royal priesthood” as the Apostle Paul says referring to Christians… Yes, the sacrament of Baptism is reserved for the ordained except in emergencies, but it is part of the ministry of the laity to share Christ and bring about reconciliation.. and therefore to bring the un-baptized into the Church…

I’m sure some priest somewhere has probably made you all do this at one time or another, but would you please turn to page 855 of your Book of Common Prayer… You see that bold heading “The Ministry”… Now skip to the second question… “What is the ministry of the laity?”.. let’s read the answer together… “The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.”

Now.. that is something that you may have known.. but here is something you may not know… When we consider our church and its parish boundaries.. we often think of the community that we live in.. Deer Lodge, Anaconda, Philipsburg, or Butte.. but we are not just individual churches in these four communities.. we are in fact the St. Joan of Arc Regional Ministry encompassing not just four towns.. but four counties in Montana… Do you know how many square miles there are in these four counties? 5,524 square miles… and even if you cut out the mountains and the lakes.. there is still a great deal of land to cover.

When Jesus says to us “Go into the world, make disciples, baptize, and obey.”.. I don’t know how much of the greater world that Jesus wants us to go into… but I do know that he wants us to “Go into those 5,524 square miles, and make disciples, baptize, and obey.”… Thing is… a fat boy in a clerical collar driving a Subaru won’t be able to reach it all… For us to succeed not only in our communities.. but in the Regional Ministry that God has entrusted to us.. we must all work toward fulfilling Jesus’ great commission by living into our ministerial rolls – ordained and laity – within the Church.

I know that the model we have established as a Regional Ministry is not what many are accustomed to.. the one church / one priest is the way that it has always been in the past.. but think back on the Apostle Paul and his ministry.. He had many churches spread out over a large geographical area, yet those churches thrived... Sure, they had their problems, but through local leadership.. they were continuously going forward in mission and adding to their numbers… What they did there, spread throughout the world… I’m no Apostle Paul.. but I do firmly believe that what we do here … can spread out across those 5,524 square miles!

Why do I believe that so firmly? Because of Jesus last words… “remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."… I am with you always… God is with us and he will remain with us.. not because we have all the answers.. or because we are always right.. or because most of us are Republicans.. He will not remain with us for any of those reasons… God will remain with us because He loves us.. because we are striving to fulfill all that he has commanded us and commissioned us to do.

Believe me.. it is not always going to be easy work… there will be frustrating days.. there will be days that you want to strangle the life out of someone… Welcome to ministry…

Archbishop Michael Ramsey’s understood this quite well … in preaching to a group of deacons on the day of their ordination to the priesthood, but applicable to all who engage in the Lord’s work, he said… “Often you will be knowing the joy of seeing men and women and children whose feet have been set, through your ministry, in the ways of God. But often also you will find times of frustration, baffling and mysterious; and in those times when you can see and feel no signs of usefulness or its fruits, you will know in faith, from your nearness to your Lord, that what you are and what you do are being used by him in his love and wisdom – he goes on to say – As you strive to be useful you will remember the course of our Lord’s mission: thirty years of hidden life, three years of public ministry, and then the waste (as it seemed) of Calvary. Useful priest – and to that I would add useful laity – there is your exemplar!”

Christ is our example.. He is the one that we are to follow and the one we are to emulate.. and by doing so, we will plant his banner.. the banner of Christ in every square mile that he entrusts to us… and we will share His love.. with every soul we encounter.. and great will be our reward.

Forgive me for quoting Archbishop Ramsey to you one more time today, but he is absolutely brilliant when speaking on the ministry and he says that, “Many lives will be healed and made strong by your teaching, your care, your love for them…. In the coming years you will know the wounds of Christ more than in the past, and you will also know the peace more than you know it now. And one day.. many will thank God for all that you will have done to make the wounds and peace known to the them.”.. They will thank God for you.. for making Christ known.. to them… and because of their thanksgiving the Lord will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant! … Come and share your master’s happiness!”

This is not only true for the ordained, but for all the disciples of Christ.. It is true for you… it is your calling… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”… that is your commission… Go.. Make.. Baptize.. Obey… and the one in whom all authority has been given – Jesus – will be with you every step of the way.

Let us pray… Glory to you, O Lord our God, Your love calls us to be your people. By sharing our many and diverse gifts we share in your mission. We ask you, Lord, to shape us into a community of faith. Nourish us by your word and sacraments that we may grow into the image of Jesus. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, heal us that we, in turn, may heal the wounded. Form us to be instruments of love, justice, and peace in our land, and send us to proclaim your saving work. Renew us, Lord, that we may renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Golf Tournament in Deer Lodge

Sermon: RCL A - Pentecost - "Ignoring God"

John 7:37-39

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, `Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

“In 1992, a Los Angeles County parking control officer came upon a brown El Dorado Cadillac illegally parked next to the curb on street-sweeping day… The officer dutifully wrote out a ticket. Ignoring the man seated at the driver’s wheel, the officer reached inside the open car window and placed the $30 citation on the dashboard… The driver of the car made no excuses. No argument ensued-and with good reason. The driver of the car had been shot in the head ten to twelve hours before but was sitting up, stiff as a board, slumped slightly forward, with blood on his face. He was dead… The officer, preoccupied with ticket-writing, was unaware of anything out of the ordinary. He got back in his car and drove away.

I may have mentioned to you in the past that I enjoy listening to books as I travel around.  Mostly all of it is fiction as I take that time to sort of relax.  Now.. on occasion I will get fairly engrossed in what I’m listening to.. and would have to agree with the experts that listening to books in the car is likely as distracting as talking on a cell phone – if not more.  For example.. on more than one occasion I’ve missed my exit.  But I seem to get into trouble the most with the cruise control.. especially heading to Philipsburg.  As you are all aware.. the speed zone leaving Anaconda on Highway One is miserable.  So that I don’t end up with a glove box full of tickets.. I always set the cruise and just listen to my book to pass the time.  However, if I get too engrossed I’ll find myself in the 70 m.p.h. zone still going 35 – having completely missed bumping up to 45 – with a line of angry traffic behind me.

The other problem is the “Finger wave.”  No, not that finger.. the other one when folks pass you going the opposite direction and they give you that one finger wave, “Hi.. how ya doin’.”  You get this a lot the closer you get to Philipsburg.  To miss the finger wave in return is likely considered rude, so I always try and pay a bit of attention.. occasionally jumping the gun and giving the finger wave first.. this concerns me because I’m not entirely sure on the proper finger wave etiquette.. who goes first and so on… But occasionally you do miss one.. you kind of catch it out of the corner of your eye.. and instead of ignoring it, I have this tendency to overdo.. jerking around, smiling and waving like I just stepped out of a mental ward.

Now personally, I would never do this, but I’m certain all of you do.. and that is to intentionally ignore someone.  There is always that person who annoys you or someone that you’ve had an argument with.. and heaven forbid you meet them in the grocery store or pass them on the street.. you see them – perhaps they’ve seen you – but you will quickly turn your head so that in avoiding eye contact you can avoid having to acknowledge them – You know you’ve done it… and that’s a bit different than missing the finger wave, because it is intentional.

However, the reasons we ignore others is not limited to those that we are annoyed with or angry with.. many times we ignore others, because we just can’t be bothered.

Brennan Manning – a priest – tells the story of the time during the 70’s that he was living in a monastery in New York.  It seems that while living there he had numerous millionaire friends who enjoyed his company and would invite him out.  He recalls on one occasion being invited to a swank restaurant and a Broadway play.  During the intermission, he and his friends went out for some fresh air and engaged in a rather highbrow conversation regarding the play.

As he was going about trying to impress his friends with his intellectual savvy he noticed someone walking toward him who was “not one of the beautiful people.”  Her clothes were a bit tattered, her shoes worn, and her nylons had holes.  As she approached he also noticed that  she was peddling the Variety magazine for $0.75.. so as he put it.. in a gesture of extreme generosity he handed her a dollar and casually waved her away.. eager to wow his friends a bit more… He continues by saying…

And then she said, “Father?”  In those days, I knew I couldn’t distinguish myself by my virtues, so I distinguished myself by my clothing; I always wore the collar… “Father, could I talk to you a minute?”… Manning writes, I snapped, “What?  Can’t you see I’m busy?  Do you make a habit of interrupting people in the middle of a conversation?  Wait over there and I’ll speak to you when I’m done.”… She whispered, “Jesus wouldn’t talk to Mary Magdalene like that”… And then she was gone.

He wondered what this young woman would have thought if she had wandered into his church the following Sunday to hear him preach on the love of God.  He asked, “How could she believe in the love a God she can’t see when she couldn’t find even a trace of love in the eyes of a brother wearing a clerical collar whom she could see?”.. He noted.. “A shriveled humanity has a shrunken capacity for receiving the rays of God’s love.” (From The Furious Longing of God) 

In some ways.. we all treat others like this.. dismissing them.. ignoring them.. because we can’t be bothered.  Unfortunately.. not only do we act like this towards others, but toward God as well.

It is the Day of Pentecost.. the day that the Holy Spirit was given to God’s people.. as Jesus said in our gospel… "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, `Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive”.. yet so often.. we have a tendency to dam up that living water.. by getting so wrapped up in our own world that we are oblivious to God or by flat out ignoring God.

Is that true?  Through the gift of the Spirit.. we have the capacity to know good from evil, but how often have we chosen to ignore the Spirit and done evil?  How many times have we seen or heard the pleas of others, knowing all along that we have the means to help, but chose to ignore those pleas?  Or.. have you ever felt in your heart that you needed to take more time to pray or study, but said to God something similar to what Brennan Manning said to that young woman, “What?  Can’t you see I’m busy?  Do you make a habit of interrupting people …?  Wait over there and I’ll speak to you when I’m done.”…

The thing is.. we can’t afford to ignore God.  Think back to the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.. Through the angels the Lord said to Lot and his wife.. “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”.. but Lot’s wife ignored the Lord.. as scripture says, “Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Ignoring God may not lead to you being turned into a pillar of salt, but by not listening we may turn to evil.  By ignoring the Holy Spirit we may miss the opportunity to serve the Lord in those areas he calls us to.  By ignoring him we are dismissing him as though he were a bother, instead of seeing him as God’s “own first gift for those who believe, to complete his work in the world, and to bring to fulfillment the sanctification of all.”

It is through this gift that the Church was born.. and it is through this gift that we become the Church that God intended.  Archbishop Michael Ramsey wrote… “The Spirit will burn his way through to the core of our being in the ever painful process of disclosure, penitence and divine forgiveness… Only buy such burning can our heart be exposed fully to the warmth.. and our mind be exposed fully to the light” of God

He goes on to say… “Without the Holy Spirit.. God is far away.. Christ stays in the past.. the gospel is simply another organization.. authority is a matter of propaganda.. the liturgy is no more than an evolution.. and Christian loving is a slave mentality…… But in the Holy Spirit.. the cosmos is resurrected and grows with the birth pangs of the kingdom.. the risen Christ is there.. the gospel is the power of life.. the Church shows forth the life of the Trinity.. authority is liberating knowledge.. mission is Pentecost.. the liturgy is both renewal and anticipation.. and human action is deified.”

Don’t be oblivious to God and do not ignore Him.. Do not dam up the living water that is within you, but instead allow it to flow freely… Because it is through this gift that God participates in our lives.

Let us pray… Breathe into us, Holy Spirit, that our thoughts may all be holy. … Move in us, Holy Spirit, that our work, too, may be holy… Attract our hearts, Holy Spirit, that we may love only what is holy… Strengthen us, Holy Spirit, that we may defend all that is holy…. Protect us, Holy Spirit, that we may always be holy. Amen.

1st Baptisms and Mass at St. Mary's

If I would just get out of the way you could actually see what is going on!  What a blessing this was.

Sermon: The Ascension - RCL A - "The Glory of God"

John 17:1-11

 

Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

"I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. "

One of golf's immortal moments came when a Scotchman demonstrated the new game to President Ulysses Grant. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, he took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President's beard and surrounding vicinity, while the ball placidly waited on the tee. Again the Scotchman swung, and again he missed. Our President waited patiently through six tries and then quietly stated, "There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game, but I fail to see the purpose of the ball.” 

When we meet folks for the first time it is often a question and answer session.  “So, what do you do for a living?”.. “Are you married?”.. “How long?”.. “Where do you live?”.. in a sense, “What is your purpose?”

John W. Gardner, founding chairman of Common Cause – an organization that that provides people with a vehicle to have their voices heard in the political process – said it's a rare and high privilege to help people understand the difference they can make – the purpose – not only in their own lives, but also in the lives of others, simply by giving of themselves.

Gardner tells of a cheerful old man who asked the same question of just about every new acquaintance he fell into conversation with: "What have you done that you believe in and you are proud of?"

He never asked conventional questions such as "What do you do for a living?" It was always, "What have you done that you believe in and are proud of?"

It was an unsettling question for people who had built their self-esteem on their wealth or their family name or their exalted job title.

Not that the old man was a fierce interrogator. He was delighted by a woman who answered, "I'm doing a good job raising three children;" and by a cabinetmaker who said, "I believe in good workmanship and practice it;" and by a woman who said, "I started a bookstore and it's the best bookstore for miles around."

"I don't really care how they answer," said the old man. "I just want to put the thought into their minds.  They should live their lives in such a way that they can have a good answer. Not a good answer for me, but for themselves. That's what' s important."

So, if I were to ask you that question.. … how would you answer?.. the number of answers to that question would likely be equal to the number of folks that are here today.. and they would be good answers… “To be a good parent”.. “To provide security.”.. “To make the world a better place than when I came into it.”.. and so on.

But there is in philosophy what is known as the “ultimate cause.”  Which, simply put, is the first event in a chain of events.  Why do you want to be a good parent?.. The “ultimate cause” would be, “Because you had a child.”  Why do you want to produce good work?  Because it is your job… See how it works.

Now.. if we were to ask Jesus "What have you done that you believe in and you are proud of – what is your purpose in life?".. how would he answer?  Well.. reading through scripture would provide us with several obvious answers.. “To bring the Truth of God.”.. “To heal the sick.”.. “To feed the hungry.”.. and I think those answers are just as noble as “being a good parent” or “making the world a better place.”.. but what was the “ultimate cause” behind the things that Jesus did?”… He fed them… Why?  Because they were hungry, but is that the ultimate cause?  He healed them… Why?  Because they were sick, but is that the ultimate cause?

Listen to these words that Jesus spoke in our Gospel reading today, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.”

What was the ultimate cause behind Jesus healing the sick?  To glorify the Father.  For feeding the hungry?  To glorify the Father.  For bring the Good News?  For being born in a manger and suffering death upon the Cross?  Anything and everything Jesus did was to bring glory to the Father.

So I ask you again.. What is YOUR purpose in life?....  On the eve of his ordination to the priesthood, Archbishop Michael Ramsey asked himself this same type of question.. His answer is a clear indication as to why he was so great…

“My grace is sufficient for thee.”  How I do need to look away from self to God; I can only find satisfaction in Him.  My heart to love Him; my will to do His will…  My mind to glorify Him.. my tongue to speak to Him and of Him… My eyes to see him in all things… My hands to bring whatever they touch to Him… My all only to be a real ‘all’.. because it is joined to Him… And this will be utter joy – no man can take it away…. Self, self-consciousness, self-will, the self-centre cut away… So that the centre which holds all my parts is God.”

For Archbishop Ramsey.. For Jesus.. the center that held all their purposes together was the Glory of God… and it should be the same for us…. Think about this – If you say that your purpose is to be a good parent.. how much more of a good parent would you be if you not only did it for the sake of your child, but also.. for the glory of God….. If you want to make the world you live in a better place.. how much better will it be if you do it for the Glory of God?  We have a multitude of reasons for building a new church.. but what kind of church will this be if we set aside all those reasons and build it instead for the Glory of God?

Today we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord.. and it is the reward Jesus received for fulfilling his purpose.. as Jesus said in his prayer to our Father, “I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do.”.. and so through the fulfilling of the Father’s work.. Jesus ascended back to the glory of the Father.. Remember.. Stephen the first deacon and martyr was even witness to this.. Scripture says, “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”

And this glory is a place that Jesus longs for us to be with him.. as he later prays.. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

Yes.. we are saved by faith and not by works.. but the works we do should have as their ultimate cause the glory of God.. and in so doing.. our reward will be the same as that of Jesus .. For the Lord will say to us.. ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance [your reward].. the kingdom.. prepared for you since the creation of the world.”

What is your purpose in life? … To live for the glory of God.. and the Kingdom of heaven is your reward.

Let us pray.. Glory be to the Father, Who by His almighty power and love created us, making us in the image and likeness of God.  Glory be to the Son, Who by His Precious Blood delivered us from hell, and opened for us the gates of heaven.  Glory be to the Holy Spirit, Who has sanctified us in the sacrament of Baptism, and continues to sanctify us by the graces we receive daily from His bounty.  Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the Holy Trinity, now and forever. Amen.

RIP - Pauline Poore

Obituary in the Montana Standard

RIP - Louise Cupp

Obituary in the Montana Standard