tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123841172024-03-15T09:00:31.423-04:00Fun'n'games in the Kingdom of God<i>by
AndrewPlus</i>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.comBlogger685125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-37298243856981667982024-03-15T09:00:00.004-04:002024-03-15T09:00:00.337-04:00We wish to see Jesus!<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N2O-PSCK4hF6KgST4rfh0NX1AP5q6Q7ybp-B7Gn53c07BjMMx5tSpbAL4LwTTl6FL9WTo8eEQ0bJLQ8Pdk7PevguuUUUbJE-bh1bTrCvkJUOpl0meDbdBXy_AJ9hhh6oAq5GsIaVb5E1GpYioc2uI_Q3XN2BQaT_spLxlwxqDyQS1aWVs96dFg/s960/San%20Damiano%20Cross%20-%20Holy%20Cross%20Monastery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N2O-PSCK4hF6KgST4rfh0NX1AP5q6Q7ybp-B7Gn53c07BjMMx5tSpbAL4LwTTl6FL9WTo8eEQ0bJLQ8Pdk7PevguuUUUbJE-bh1bTrCvkJUOpl0meDbdBXy_AJ9hhh6oAq5GsIaVb5E1GpYioc2uI_Q3XN2BQaT_spLxlwxqDyQS1aWVs96dFg/s320/San%20Damiano%20Cross%20-%20Holy%20Cross%20Monastery.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you ever have the chance to go on retreat and don’t mind
the travel, I like to go to the <a href="https://holycrossmonastery.com/" target="_blank">Holy Cross Monastery in Hyde Park, NY</a>, which overlooks
the Hudson River about an hour and a half north of New York City. In their chapel hangs
a huge icon. It’s a crucifix modeled on the icon known as the San Damiano
Cross. The San Damiano Cross is the one St. Francis was praying before when he
had a vision from God to rebuild the Church. The original cross presently hangs
in <a href="https://holycrossmonastery.com/" target="_blank">Santa Chiarra (St. Clare) Church in Assisi, Italy</a>. All Franciscans cherish
his cross as the symbol of their mission from God.<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Francis had his vision, he was praying in a church that
was quite literally falling down into a heap of rubble. He started to rebuild
the church building brick by brick, but in the middle of the project he
realized that what Jesus was calling him to do was not to restore a building
but to rebuild all of God’s church…all of us…not just a structure!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">When I contemplate that icon, I became aware of what Jesus is
talking about in today’s Gospel. Today’s
story from John starts out when some Greeks come looking for Jesus. These were
religious and curious Gentiles who were attracted to Judaism but turned aside
from conversion by the requirement for circumcision. They’ve heard about Jesus
and his message and so come to Philip and then to Andrew, asking about him. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember Philip and Andrew? They were the ones who saw Jesus
and followed him and took the news to their brothers, Nathaniel and Simon
Peter. Now John’s Gospel tells us that
some people from outside Judaism are looking to see Jesus just as Philip and
Andrew had once searched for him themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is only when these two people from outside of Judaism come
calling that Jesus says out loud that his time has arrived: the time for him to
be glorified. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well and good, except that Jesus’ idea of “glory” and ours
are radically different! When we think of glory, we think of fame and fortune. We think of power, influence and our name up
in lights. Not Jesus. He is thinking of the cross. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">For Jesus, glory means embracing the cross, the epitome of
suffering. As the Gospel says:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Unless a grain of wheat falls into
the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears
much fruit. … Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say – ‘Father, save me
from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. … And
I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus is not for a small group of insiders. Jesus is for
everyone. And for that, the Gospel tells us, Jesus is glorified on the cross.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">It will be on the cross where God will destroy the division
between God and humanity. It will be on the cross where God renews
creation. We tend to think of the cross
as a failure and a futility that God miraculously turns into something new with
the resurrection. Don’t worry, we are in good company—the apostles thought
that, too! It’s all over popular culture! But the cross is not a defeat, it is the
completion of what Jesus came to do, and
it is the place where he is glorified.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Andrew took Peter to see Jesus and when Philip brought
Nathaniel to see Jesus, they saw him face to face. The Greeks wanted to see
Jesus, but they will see him on and through the cross. And that is where most of us will see Jesus… on
and through the cross. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Today, those coming to seek Jesus have one more place to
look. And that is to us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxmls8e-FEQ01qkxClds5ACHTNcQjYbda9zAbCmJ236h7VZilUZ9Hrp3nCNsyGyt5ShtUUdyQRyjJQ6Ou03E8Uly8XNI8tAbcpGTt9hTKpGICvfSG9BBe4YDpPs-F5UlbB8bjx_4sXjAm68icDvya6yLpgdqD9t9c5QvzdKEcWhUVx1zN2vwoCg/s768/we-would-see-Jesus-768x428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="768" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxmls8e-FEQ01qkxClds5ACHTNcQjYbda9zAbCmJ236h7VZilUZ9Hrp3nCNsyGyt5ShtUUdyQRyjJQ6Ou03E8Uly8XNI8tAbcpGTt9hTKpGICvfSG9BBe4YDpPs-F5UlbB8bjx_4sXjAm68icDvya6yLpgdqD9t9c5QvzdKEcWhUVx1zN2vwoCg/w293-h163/we-would-see-Jesus-768x428.jpg" width="293" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Phillips Brooks, author of the Christmas carol “O little
town of Bethlehem,” was Bishop of Massachusetts and instrumental in building
the magnificent Trinity Church in Boston’s Copley Square. One feature of
Brooks’ design is visible only to those who preach in Trinity church. Brooks
had these words carved on the inside of Trinity’s pulpit: “Sir, we would see
Jesus.”<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Episcopal priest, the Rev. Dr. Barry Vaughn writes:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Phillips Brooks knew that everyone
who steps into a pulpit and presumes to preach the gospel needs to think about
those words, because the great temptation of preaching is to give our hearers
something other than Jesus….<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But it is not only preachers who do
this. All around us are people who want to see Jesus. Do they see him in us? Do
they see the Servant-Lord who washed the feet of his friends? Do they see the
prophet who cleansed the Temple? Do they see the healer who made the blind to
see? If we are to let people see Jesus in us, then we must go ourselves and sit
at his feet, let him heal us, feed upon his body broken for us, and above all
stand at the cross and wonder as the Word that spoke out of the void lapses into
silence and death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">As we approach the end of Lent: with Passion Sunday, Holy
Week and the Great Three Days coming up, we are at once like those Greeks
looking for Jesus who came to Philip and Andrew, <i>and</i> we are like Philip
and Andrew who show Jesus to others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"> We want to see Jesus.
We are not alone. Many people seek Jesus. They could be at work, or in a
faraway place or they could be as close as home. And we, the baptized, are the ones who show
off Jesus. We show in our faithfulness, in our attitude towards others, and in
our care for those in need that Jesus reigns, and he reigns from the cross.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-YsA2zhEGQY7p5xxg-rO8AfHdB_xSShvJw978B4eQFlKbGaMlu7OQ_gPlPuj79ZoAnS8ymWipdbp6Td4yn60HcopcxaCaxMmbwKS7QQQY-l7xIOf3ZyXnP1YraAhCpeGaZe7gWHCsLhhvEwDHhOVT8kAYBCmOk7Vc7mTbHLrGYMM9KDhyphenhyphennP0Pg/s415/chapel%20of%20san%20damiano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="415" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-YsA2zhEGQY7p5xxg-rO8AfHdB_xSShvJw978B4eQFlKbGaMlu7OQ_gPlPuj79ZoAnS8ymWipdbp6Td4yn60HcopcxaCaxMmbwKS7QQQY-l7xIOf3ZyXnP1YraAhCpeGaZe7gWHCsLhhvEwDHhOVT8kAYBCmOk7Vc7mTbHLrGYMM9KDhyphenhyphennP0Pg/s320/chapel%20of%20san%20damiano.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">When Francis went into that broken-down, dark neglected
church and prayed before this icon of Jesus crucified, he had a vision of Jesus
looking at him and saying, “rebuild my Church.” Francis started with the
building-- with the Chapel of St. Damiano. He used his own money and his own
bare hands to repair it. That was a good
place to start. Definitely good practice. But it was not enough. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">He realized that the Church that Jesus sent him to rebuild
was the people of God: people who needed a space and a method to pray, people
who need purpose and hope. People who follow Jesus need a mission. The heart of
Francis’ call was to show people the very same thing he had been shown. He
showed them Jesus. The savior who walked and lived among us is glorified on the
cross, where we see God’s love is so great that not even death can stop it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial;">All the time people come to
us and ask of us “we would see Jesus.” Maybe not in those words, but in their need,
their hope, and their curiosity. And in everything we do, as a parish family
and in our daily lives, we are called to show them Jesus. And every time we
show them Jesus, we are rebuilding his church.</span><div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://conta.cc/3wOZq13" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the Fifth Sunday in Lent</a>, </span>March 17, 2024<span style="color: #221199;"> </span>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Lent/BLent5_RCL.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: #221199;">Here are </span><span style="color: #221199;">the </span><b style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;">Scripture Lessons</b></span> for the Fifth</a><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Lent/BLent5_RCL.html" target="_blank"> Sunday in Lent,</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">March 17</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, 2024</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on March 17, 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on March 17, 2024</div></span></span></div></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-92198076535872695422024-03-02T20:56:00.084-05:002024-03-13T15:22:51.251-04:00Prefering Christ One Bite at a Time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5VsK-6f112_PuEfB_nX3c1Qj06VsCJ08m7BCB_ZJ2g9m7_AvRgjbGNDQ-2cBpVMWYrqBQwLfZFrhdbbTEdfOZxvjfValOBWJthiAURYfp9hzHBLG6EiZ9kgQWZxKz55PDLHnWDyvaB3I00-fr7SbmNOo2r8htrIxyduMc0jlabKlpOAhOmEFGA/s1024/One%20Bite%20at%20a%20Time.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5VsK-6f112_PuEfB_nX3c1Qj06VsCJ08m7BCB_ZJ2g9m7_AvRgjbGNDQ-2cBpVMWYrqBQwLfZFrhdbbTEdfOZxvjfValOBWJthiAURYfp9hzHBLG6EiZ9kgQWZxKz55PDLHnWDyvaB3I00-fr7SbmNOo2r8htrIxyduMc0jlabKlpOAhOmEFGA/s320/One%20Bite%20at%20a%20Time.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: arial;">‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 3:7-8a</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Lent teaches us many things. One thing it teaches us is that there is often great truth children’s riddles. Like this one:
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">“How do you eat an elephant?”
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">“One bite at a time!”
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Life is complicated and we yearn to make things simpler. But life still happens! All the things that life requires… from paying bills to getting a good night’s sleep, from work to relationships, from shopping to keeping up with family… don’t go away just because we are busy.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The modern drive towards being “productive” is nice but only takes one so far. In modern parlance, they became more “productive” …doing more in the same time slot… doesn’t always afford us more time to do the things we love. Instead we fill the time with more things…period. And so we feel tired, stressed and frazzled.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So what to do?
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The starting place, for me, begins with an axiom that comes from the Rule of St. Benedict, in which he says to “prefer nothing to Christ.” Benedict’s instruction comes from the writings of Cyprian, third century bishop in North Africa, who followed the statement with these words: “for he has preferred nothing to us.”
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Rev. Jane Tomaine writes in her book <i>The Benedictine Toolbox:
</i></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">What a stunning truth—that Jesus has preferred nothing, that’s nothing, to each of us, unworthy though we are. Jesus revealed this in his Farewell Discourse when he said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16a). Perhaps preferring Christ above all else is the only way that you and I can begin to fulfill the Gospel directive to love one another. In the Gospel of John Jesus tells us that those who love him will keep his word, and he and his Father will come and make a home with each of us (John 14:23). When we are a part of such a household we can turn outward and walk on the path of healing and reconciliation as did Jesus.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So, what does “preferring Christ” actually look like? Well, I am learning as I go here, but here is what I’ve observed so far:
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>First things first</i></b>. Do the things that care for your health and your soul first. The first thing that tends to go out the window when we are busy is our time for prayer, however we structure it. The start of the day is a chance to align one’s thoughts, heart and body towards God. Maybe setting up a little prayer at the night table that we’ll see first thing on waking up or maybe on the door to the fridge or the bathroom mirror…some place where you already look might help. The same is true for exercise. Taking a little time to be in motion is also a great time to center your thoughts and pray. I have also learned (a little bit anyway) that the little moments that might make me feel impatient, like standing in line at a grocery store or being on hold or sitting in traffic, can become free moments of unplanned solitude; a moment to breathe a little, pray a little, look around a little.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Go gently</i></b>. Don’t be so hard on yourself. In our society today, no matter how productive we might be there is always someone telling us to do more! Do what you do well. For me, this also means don’t over-promise, which manages to avoid disappointment from others and frustration with myself. One of the great joys of doing this work is that I don’t have to do it alone. I am learning once again for the first time how to share responsibilities in way that both relieves my load and, much more importantly, expands our capacity to minister. When I forget something or make a mistake, I learn from it, pray over it, listen to what it is teaching me and then move on.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Take yourself lightly</i></b>. A few years ago, I went to my town’s local amphitheater to see four comedians perform at a community street fair. As I was sitting in the crowd, the mayor, who was emceeing the event, spotted me from the stage and said “Oh, hi Pastor!” My goose was cooked! I was fair game for three of the next four comics who performed! This was a useful lesson: don’t take yourself too seriously because if you can’t laugh at yourself then others surely will.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One bite at a time! This is where the child’s riddle comes in. My mother used to tell me, in an attempt to get me stop wolfing down my food at the table, to never try to gulp down anything bigger than your head. Segmenting problems into bite-sized chunks helps us not be overwhelmed by the size of the project or the number of obstacles.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Be Present</i></b>. There’s an old Bill Mauldin cartoon from World War II where three muddy soldiers are marching along a road. Willy tells Joe, as they march behind the third soldier, “Poke ‘em will ya? He’s snoring!” When life is overwhelming it is easy to just fall into a rut and just put one foot in front of the other and lose consciousness. As Orthodox Archbishop and spiritual writer Anthony Bloom says, “If you cannot find God in this moment, you will never find him at all!”
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><i><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Practice, practice, practice! </span></b></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There’s another old joke with great wisdom, about the tourist visiting New York who asks a musician “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The musician replies, “Practice! Practice! Practice!” </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It may surprise you to learn that from the time I was small, I have had this tendency to expect myself to be perfect at something on the very first attempt. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, the only thing that teaches is how to give up!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For many years, I have been taking voice lessons, and my vocal coach has taught me not only about good practice, but about how to be present to myself. After doing an exercise or singing a piece, she will ask me “How does that feel?” Good practice increases self-awareness in a useful way.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have learned that practice is about training, learning how something feels, and learning the steps towards a good performance. It is also about learning when and how to ask for help. Getting useful feedback and talking together about how something might work not only makes for a better performance but also builds community, confidence and collegiality.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">None of this is particularly new. It shows up in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in the Rule of St. Benedict, and all through the Psalms and in Proverbs. Both Buddhist stories and the Hassidic Tales from Judaism are filled with these lessons, too. What I am learning again is how to practically and usefully prefer Christ in all things.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Mother Tomaine sums it up this way:
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When we prefer Christ we do anti-world things like loving one another for Christ’s sake. We “cut some slack” with one another, being patient and forgiving, recognizing that we also have growing edges. We ease up on being judgmental, we accept our sisters and brothers in the faith and beyond our faith, acknowledging our oneness in creation. We try to choose his way and not the way that may burn within us. </span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As Joan Chittister says, “Benedictine spirituality is about caring for the people you live with and loving the people you don’t and loving God more than yourself.”
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When we prefer Christ we choose him over another. We choose his way over other ways even when—especially when!—life is crazy busy! I am coming to learn that “preferring nothing but Christ” is looking for the holy in this moment; it is seeking Christ’s face in the people God sends us every day and to seek God’s presence in the ordinary things all around us. And, as Benedict says, “Always we begin again.”
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">How do we go about “preferring nothing to Christ?” Live one bite at a time!
</span></div><div><br /></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-66687706596233277872024-02-24T12:00:00.001-05:002024-02-24T12:00:00.131-05:00Wrong Savior Syndrome<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnhtKZ7PKCwuPm7EbiA0EJGx1l4rxiyVkZs_geJng_VTM0KC6goLalVJ1NoWL2Yn3MLwS10Pj6jzgHCEIq4PGxZz-l1GIK97QUNL-fPvbGNhLpXCUybdunYxpbo3A-8QZDCMl5aqKCwx30adlQnxBQ0MchF9Ke-3UKHLZ_MFF6jt4dXqaYma8RbA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="769" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnhtKZ7PKCwuPm7EbiA0EJGx1l4rxiyVkZs_geJng_VTM0KC6goLalVJ1NoWL2Yn3MLwS10Pj6jzgHCEIq4PGxZz-l1GIK97QUNL-fPvbGNhLpXCUybdunYxpbo3A-8QZDCMl5aqKCwx30adlQnxBQ0MchF9Ke-3UKHLZ_MFF6jt4dXqaYma8RbA" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you want to know what my
problem is? My problem is that I keep trying to follow the wrong savior. I keep
getting my messiahs mixed up. My bad!<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">You see, I keep wishing that Jesus
will come and take away all my troubles as if he were one of those great
designer drugs they advertise on TV. You know the ones I mean, right? The
ones where everyone is happily riding bikes or rowing boats or hiking mountain
trails while the announcer quickly reads off all the possible side effects in a
very low voice. These ads do remind us that prescription drugs are serious
things and that talk to our doctors; but my emotions say “hmm… bike!” or "ooh…
vacation!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">I like my Savior the same way. Yeah,
sure, I hear all about taking up my cross and following him. But what I really want
is for God to fix everything, and a savior who will solve all my problems, so
life won’t seem so hard. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Oops! Wrong savior! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you have ever suffered from
wrong-savior syndrome, you are not alone! Peter had the exact same problem!
Even after he confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God,
he cannot bear to hear the truth that this same Jesus, this same Messiah, would
have to be arrested, handed over to his persecutors, tortured, killed and then
on the third day rise from the dead, so he blurts out: “God forbid!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">If ever there was a case of wrong
savior syndrome, this is it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus knew that Peter and the
others were just a little mixed up about this. But look at where he decides to
clarify this! Mark says all this happens, not in Jerusalem or in a local
synagogue but in a Roman garrison city called Caesarea Philippi, a city specially
built as the local expression of Roman power in an occupied land. This was
where their troops were stationed and supplied. From here they could monitor
and even, if necessary, shut down the sliver of land between the sea and the
mountains that connected Africa, Asia Minor, and Europe. And here the Roman
gods could be worshipped out of sight of the local religionists. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mark’s Gospel tells us that Jesus
chose this center of Roman imperial power to start telling his followers about
what it means to follow him.<i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save
their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the
sake of the gospel, will save it. </span></i><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (Mark 8:34-35)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus tells his disciples that
following him is like carrying your own cross—in the very place where they
make, store, and deploy crosses by the truckload!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">For those of us prone to
wrong-savior syndrome, it feels like a cup of ice water thrown in the face!<i> </i>He
is telling us to “snap out of it!” so we don’t get our saviors mixed up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter and the rest know by heart
the original covenant promise to Abraham that we heard this morning was for
many fruitful descendants, all of whom would be loved and protected by God. It
was a covenant promising a future of life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now Jesus is renewing and
reviving that covenant of life– but it looks a very different from what we’ve
grown to expect. Jesus promises life to us if we have the courage to face
death. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Looking at it that way, I kind of
think that Peter’s urge to take Jesus aside and rebuke him starts to make a lot
of sense.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">At least to me!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Our lesson from Romans tells us
what we need to enter into this covenant when Paul says that “it depends on
faith….” Paul reminds us of Abraham and Sarah who, hoping against hope,
[Abraham] believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations.’ … He did
not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good
as dead. … No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew
strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was
able to do what he had promised.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Many of our Christian brothers
and sisters around the world, may pay that cost of discipleship with their
literal, physical lives, but the truth is that most of us won’t go out in a
blaze of martyred glory. Most of us will carry our crosses one small step at a
time, one spiritual discipline at a time, one act of generosity, sacrifice, or
love at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">How ever we end up carrying our
crosses, following Jesus will cost us one thing: change!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Abram and Sarai committed to
God’s covenant with them, they were changed at such a fundamental level that
they got brand-new names, Abraham and Sarah, that echoed their former selves
but with brand new identities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">When we sign on to Jesus’
covenant of life, we start a journey through our own deserts and wildernesses, and
we emerge on the other side deeply changed. We can finally let go of our urge
to rebuke Jesus, to remake him in our image, because he will remake us to be
like him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead of Jesus taking away all our
problems, he gives us the strength, the grace, and the courage to take on our
problems—to carry our cross. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Following Jesus makes a
difference because he makes the life of faithfulness possible. Jesus
blazes the trail for us to follow. He creates a truly human life
possible, lived under the mercy of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is the cure for
wrong-savior-syndrome. Jesus’ cross helps us carry our crosses every day. When
we choose to be open and honest about our faith in a way that tells the truth
without being obnoxious, then we discover what is means to not only carry our
cross but also how to follow Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">But I have to tell you, I still get
my saviors mixed up. Whenever I am tired or overworked or feeling pressed upon
by a world changing faster than I can handle, then I go for the fake savior…the
one who will knock heads and take names, or the one who agrees with all my
opinions, or the one who judges everyone else but not me. Or at least the one
who is comfy and cozy and never challenges me to grow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The good news is that there are
things we can do to help us get back to the Real Jesus, to follow our Real
Savior: a good place to start is to go back to our baptisms, and to go back to
the broken bread and poured out wine of the Sacrament, to look to our Christian
companions. When we go back and confess Jesus as messiah and savior and,
without shame or fear, orient our lives towards him, then we discover that God
has given us everything we need to follow him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">And the best part of all, even though we are prone to wrong savior
syndrome, Jesus, our real savior has never, ever forgotten us.</span> </span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001eFuJ0SsmaStsiRphIbNO0MIG79qLrnDax8sGVp_1_-oz9iSlitHOZXRoT0FBBrVtgk6Ck3EPDvnFKLzALlrBCL95t8HRQf-85La01_beozpiZ-42G1r5KWAIZBizoLz2v1JVNYqyHKpCHPU7cmK_9fZ7ggnSX3f8v3JptGSUrR1a05wtDdSXCay24HH_BVzXEEzI2SKDRG0_K9RQb9QdQiwoMhihhkKtUdJS5t57LEc=&c=ikhn8a8HPeG730dnroPoN5oQAWE7YawtmsnWzDbnHiQmKxsGld4IkA==&ch=_nzdfKbCibTce2hh5v34cOVpod9HyB7RPOZmplhcWiVS25DEgmj2Cw==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the Second Sunday in Lent</a>, </span>February 25, 2024<span style="color: #221199;"> </span>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Lent/BLent2_RCL.html">Here are <span style="color: #221199;">the </span><b style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;">Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpiLast_RCL.html" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">S</a>econd Sunday in Lent, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">February 25</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, 2024</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 25, 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 25, 2024</div></span></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-12829327954747885602024-02-14T17:39:00.004-05:002024-02-14T17:39:40.756-05:00Telling the truth and living the truth<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43mvgGWuzicHuywPf4veSs58NBZYb2vEzAB6Ot41RyaJCRuIgjn2mhToC_e8Odcgdv8VDuwxEOIGSNM9m3KesiRHXBNj8reIjij5TDzefIGtqztOLBjefuZj976rYuNmtMw1Gv28tiVBLyoTcOdFMHRcDpp1DgXCdERT9a1c5K8WUKAQHWRT9oQ/s709/AshWed_2020_heart_710px%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="709" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43mvgGWuzicHuywPf4veSs58NBZYb2vEzAB6Ot41RyaJCRuIgjn2mhToC_e8Odcgdv8VDuwxEOIGSNM9m3KesiRHXBNj8reIjij5TDzefIGtqztOLBjefuZj976rYuNmtMw1Gv28tiVBLyoTcOdFMHRcDpp1DgXCdERT9a1c5K8WUKAQHWRT9oQ/s320/AshWed_2020_heart_710px%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Once people learn that
you are even the least bit intentional about following Jesus, you are done.
Finito. You can’t win. You can give up trying to manage how other people see you. It is
a lost cause.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When you try to do as
the prophet Joel proclaims—to proclaim a fast, to get people to drop everything
and turn their hearts to God—you will be seen as some kind of fanatic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you do the right
thing today and come to church (and you’re here, aren’t you?) and choose to
carry even a small sign of your mortality and penitence around with you on your
forehead, then someone, somewhere will say “Ha! You have <i>your</i> reward!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Even if someone at work
or in the store or in your household <i>doesn’t</i> remind you that Jesus just told us <b><i>not </i></b>to
do this in public, I will bet that there is inside of you a little, chiding
voice that is just waiting to rub it in and make you feel small.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We want to live right,
in the way God wants; and to live well, in a way that has dignity and purpose.
And yet as soon as we begin to get serious about being faithful we end either
feeling guilty or being misunderstood. Or both.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Even Paul reminds us
that Christians are a universally and consistently misunderstood lot. Look at
his list: we Christians are treated as imposters (liars!), as unknown (as ones
without celebrity!). We are seen as punished—beat up by others! — and as a
sorry, sorry lot. We have nothing to give and treated worse than the poor. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It should be no
surprise that Christians are misunderstood. I mean, we spend so much time
trying to straighten each other out, it’s no wonder than the culture at large
does not know what to make of us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So Jesus is right.
Beware of practicing our piety before others — it is dangerous and
uncontrollable!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When Jesus warns us not
to be smug in our spiritual practices, does that mean that we should not
practice them? Of course not. He is saying to be careful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Here
is the truth. We cannot help but practice our piety before others! What we do
and who we are is there for all the world—and God-- to see. The challenge is
for whom we show it. It is to make others think better of us? Or does what we
do somehow show off the truth of who and whose we are? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A good place to start
is to get the relationship between our outer world (what might be called our
treasure) and our inner world (our heart) lined up. Make sure that one flows
out of the other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Our treasure and our
heart are attracted to each other like iron filings are attracted to magnets.
Jesus says we have a choice. We can leave our hearts in a stuck place beholden
to the outside stuff; or we can put our heart where we want to come out and organize
everything else around it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jesus’ remedy for those
of us who might be addicted to some degree of public approval when we do the
right thing is to make sure we start by putting our heart it belongs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So we have a choice. On
the one hand, we can stay mired in the everyday and the hum-drum, reacting to
one crisis after another, we can fret and worry about how much money we wish we
had; we can let all these things dictate our actions and choices. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We can live out of our
scarcity and let our fear run us—but put on a good game face. That’s one
choice. But that’s the kind of person Jesus is warning us not to be: the person
who makes the biggest fuss over their gift, the biggest show of their prayer.
Why? Because for some people, all that show is hiding something; the loud and
bright presentation is meant distract us (and even themselves!) from the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The other choice is to
admit who and whose we are, and to put our heart where we and God wants it to
be. To say out loud that right now, in this moment, I will give my heart to God
and put my heart where God wants and I will let everything, my treasure, my
priorities, my self go to it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It is really
simpler—and harder—than it sounds. The first step is to tell the truth. The
second step is to experiment with living with that truth, even for a short
time. Tell the truth and live the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Say the truth: “I don’t
have my act together. But I want to pray more.” Then just for a moment, live
the truth: in this moment, pray as much as you are able.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Say the truth: “I don’t
have my priorities straight all the time.” Then just for a moment, live the
truth: right now, right here, I will do this one right thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Say the truth: “There
are days when I live out of fear and reactivity, but I want to be present to
God, my neighbor, and creation.” Then live the truth: right now, just for a
moment do something as simple as a deep cleansing breath that pushes out all
that old stale air you didn’t even know you had down there and breathe in as
deeply as you have ever breathed. For just this moment, know what that feels
like to be here, in this place, in this body, in this community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Say the truth: “I
define my life by all the stuff I have and all the stuff I wish I had.” Then,
right now, in this moment, live the truth: give something out of our
incomparable abundance so that someone else might have a meal, or a roof, or a
book or a companion that they did not otherwise have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Say the truth: “I am
wretched and broken and I am not the person God made me to be.” And then live
the truth: know that you are forgiven; that you are an adopted member of God’s
family, Christ’s body, the Church and know that you are blessed. Right now. Right
here.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By telling the truth and then, even just for a
moment, even experimentally, even gracefully, <i>living</i> the truth we put
our heart where it belongs—where God wants it to be—and then right now, in this
moment we let everything organize itself around that. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But be careful. This is
not simply an act of the will. It is a response to grace. When we tell the
truth and then live the truth, we are in fact listening to the Holy Spirit who
goes before us, and prepares us and makes us ready to receive God. We don’t do
this to impress. We do this because it is true. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And be prepared to be
misunderstood. Once we give our hearts to God; once we tell the truth and put
our heart there, and once we live the truth and begin to organize our stuff,
our relationships, and our priorities around where your heart actually belongs,
people will not understand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Heck, <i>we </i>might
not understand! But we will be changed. We will experience God’s transforming
love and power. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Apostle Paul says
that “We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are
well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed;
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having
nothing, and yet possessing everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There are only a few
liturgies in our Episcopal tradition that requires us to come to the altar more
than once in a single liturgy</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.
Today is one of them. We come forward to receive ashes; and we come twice for
Maundy Thursday (footwashing) and we come forward during a public service of
healing. I believe this action of coming to the altar twice suggests that the
action telling the truth and living the truth. That telling the truth and
living the truth is necessary for real repentance, real service and real
healing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Telling the truth and
living the truth is also the action of coming to the cross. There is hope in
meeting the truth of Christ’s suffering. It is on the cross that all of our
hard, often unpleasant truths are crucified and given back to us in the truth of
new life unfolding right here, right now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This Lent, this forty
days, this tithe of our year, we are called once again to experiment in telling
the truth to ourselves and to God and then, with God’s grace, living the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The truth is that we
can’t tell the truth alone. The truth is that we cannot live the truth alone
either. But God has not left us alone. Jesus walks this path with us. We have
the very breath of God, the Holy Spirit, praying in us and with us, even when we
can’t find the words. We will encounter God’s truth and ours in scripture and
in worship and in community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One thing for sure:
once you give your heart to God, and even for one moment organize your life
around that, nothing will be the same. Once we tell the truth and live the
truth, even for a little bit, we cannot go back. Today is the acceptable time.
Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to tell the truth. Today is the
day to live the truth.<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for Ash Wednesday, </span>February 14, 2024<span style="color: #221199;"> </span>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearABC/Lent/AshWed.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpiLast_RCL.html" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> for </a>Ash Wednesday<span style="color: #2b00fe;">, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">February 14</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, 2024</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 14, 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 14, 2024</div></span></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-6522352658580691572024-02-10T11:57:00.003-05:002024-02-10T19:24:33.000-05:00The adventure of a lifetime!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJRSwt96-2l377jQmaGOEDFC0e9zhthrhiv2esRKY9T_5iidY4ratKPF3bDKj0iIJ4BNbbUC-iT9OO1ROM7gB-a5Dr1_X5Uvfi5eRvMjMZFm_9d5RXFryHiciINP9UqyExayW_l0lTH625EPqwKU4QKtY-qsO0ZJhh5ayHnN5JBwvmW0Ms5AeSA/s600/transfiguration%20by%20laura%20james.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJRSwt96-2l377jQmaGOEDFC0e9zhthrhiv2esRKY9T_5iidY4ratKPF3bDKj0iIJ4BNbbUC-iT9OO1ROM7gB-a5Dr1_X5Uvfi5eRvMjMZFm_9d5RXFryHiciINP9UqyExayW_l0lTH625EPqwKU4QKtY-qsO0ZJhh5ayHnN5JBwvmW0Ms5AeSA/s320/transfiguration%20by%20laura%20james.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine the disciples of Jesus. They’ve been following Jesus all
around Palestine for about a year and a half. They’ve watched his mission grow
from a miracle at a family wedding into one that lavishly feeds four or five
thousand people at a sitting.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 5.65pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 5.65pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In all the miles they’ve walked with Jesus, they’ve seen sick
people healed, the hungry miraculously fed, witnessed personal encounters with
all kinds of people, and seem large crowds come out to hear him. They’ve also
seen plenty of controversy and asked plenty of questions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 5.65pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 5.65pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">They’ve heard Jesus praised by everyone from peasants to Roman
soldiers, and they’ve heard him criticized—even to the point of threats—by both
the rulers of occupied Israel and the religious leaders of the day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 5.65pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 5.65pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And yet, for all that, this small band of apostles and disciples was
not yet a movement, even though people were pretty excited whenever Jesus came
to town. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 5.65pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 5.65pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">For those first followers of Jesus it was the adventure of a
lifetime! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 42.95pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 42.95pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Well, as they say in show biz, “they ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
Because when Jesus invites three of his friends to go with him up on a mountain
to pray, they are totally unprepared for what happens next!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 9.3pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 9.3pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">On that mountaintop, they see Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus!
And then they hear a voice from heaven saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved, listen
to him!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 9.3pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 9.3pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Astonished and afraid, they scramble to do something, anything, to
mark the moment! But there is only one thing they have to do: listen to Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 9.0pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The Transfiguration that we celebrate today is God’s affirmation of
Jesus’ humanity and his divinity. And if you want to know and follow Jesus:
listen! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 9.0pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">It’s natural to want to remember the moment. We have baby books,
cherished mementos, and as a sacramental people we know that outward and
visible signs points us to inward and spiritual grace… but … listen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 9.0pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The end of the Epiphany season is marked by the Transfiguration
because it’s the ultimate showing of who Jesus is and what he’s up to. We see all
of Jesus’ humanity and all of his divinity in the very same person, undiluted,
just as it was at his birth, his baptism, all the miracles, healing encounters,
and teaching, and in his death and resurrection. The Reign of God has entered
the world in the person of Jesus, and we are called to witness to that Good News
and invite people to come along!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 14.3pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 14.3pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The Transfiguration and Resurrection both gave the disciples the
will to persevere, something bestowed on all of us in our Baptisms. The same
God who presides at the Transfiguration of Jesus and tells us to listen to him
also promises us that one day we will be transformed into his likeness. As
baptized people, that happens every day as we learn and do the work of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In baptizing Owen, we are initiating him into the Church, into the
Company of Christ’s people, and he will immediately become a full part of the whole
Church … not just his family and friends but the whole household of Christ’s
people in all time and in every place. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Today we are making a commitment that we… all of us, family,
friends, the community of the faithful… will do everything we can to help him
come to know God in Jesus so that he will take his place as a follower of Jesus
and become a disciple… a friend and apprentice of Jesus Christ! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And that’s why we baptize babies like Owen because we know that
Christian people are raised up in Christian households all the time! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">It’s definitely a learn-as-you-go process, but Christian formation
is not a do-it-yourself project. Raising up a Christian kid requires Christian
community in addition to a faithful household. So, just as you will trust
teachers to teach, and coaches to coach, and doctors and nurses to do their
thing, you will also take part in a Christian community who will accompany you,
support you, guide you, and show you the practical nuts and bolts of how to be
a follower of Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">So, I say to Owen, what I said to his sister when it was her turn
at the baptismal font… welcome to the Jesus Movement! To paraphrase our
Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, Welcome to the Episcopal branch of the Jesus
Movement!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Welcome to the Movement that saw in Jesus the fullness of God and
humanity in the same person and who listened and followed him and shared the
Good News of Jesus with people who were far off and those who were near. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Owen, today is your first trip to the mountaintop with Jesus, the start
of an amazing journey of faith that will require time, attention, and
intention. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And I also say to Mom and Dad, grands and cousins, sponsors and
siblings, help him along the way: take the time to pray with Owen, from grace
at the table to nighttime prayers. Share the stories of faith, not only from
the Bible or a book of saints, but also from your own journeys (including those
pesky questions) and stories of the people you admire. Teach him to hang in
there, even when things get rough, confusing, or are not going according to
plan. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And as you teach Owen about respect, reliability, doing his chores,
good manners, showing up for practice, doing his scales, and all the rest,
don’t forget to show him also the rituals of the life of faith, and how to look
for God in the everyday and in the people he will meet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 6.35pt; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 6.35pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The good news is that you won’t have or need all the answers, because,
by God’s grace, you’ll be learning and doing the work of Jesus right there
alongside Owen. You’ll be developing with him those seven-fold gifts of the
Spirit that we will soon be praying for. So don’t be afraid to show him your
own inquiring and discerning heart; show him the courage to will and to
persevere; take the time to share the gift of joy and wonder in all God’s
works, especially as you see it unfold in this little human whom you present
today for baptism.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0.1in 0in 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The Transfiguration is like every mountain top experience… we might
like to remain there, but our real task—Owen’s and ours! – is to continue the
journey as we go learning and doing the work of Jesus every day. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0.1in 0in 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001nJmRzOj2fsAlGseNkCLdom-iU-IA-uaOoMCUJXHJHhWWZJH7FpEOe3AXQM-F-bvBUiAo70RIykBJNo3aJ_J8vW4wb5ioDa7mPu0nvjbp6MJJjIXSudx8sLSdPSPyMU4bJCgl5gaYYR-qUGhfz3XRh3RBCv804KiVS8LC-WsuTfIXcj7yNt5bzVBHdXQVfj05UJK0r5LSQR5pMmdSEE5ZbtKE41CUGgchz6I90rcEVBo=&c=M2Z1TjIK7ftHJ7ZwGKCbF0a1NOB8FuiwkIEuIkV3zqMnSiyNCy3DJA==&ch=Q8Jhj2xXddmsfsXmJAP5hRgnyiluWHjbR4O99og1SgQ6tPyvTuivqA==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for Last Sunday after Epiphany</a>, </span>February 11, 2024<span style="color: #221199;"> </span>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here are <a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpiLast_RCL.html" target="_blank">the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpiLast_RCL.html" target="_blank"> for the </a><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpiLast_RCL.html" target="_blank">Last Sunday after Epiphany</a>, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">February 11</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, 2024</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 11, 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 11, 2024</div></span></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-51623509185548460782024-02-03T12:00:00.018-05:002024-02-06T14:53:13.913-05:00Loving Service Helps Us Learn and Do the Work of Jesus<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGVRc7wvP97B6nwvS7vGAZn2mtr6wy88qR62UJS3NZQn1mrmIh9866PaIiGFU1AdH8Qoptz84kIV8RRh06X9Hpaypk4QbgELJJFAejkOZqTeNRnZhVo5zCi4Cupt_Of39rjum80nojzFnNPaPymDd3Qn7Np6yHatRTCgIOF-KTKlf-UzkwAUS4A/s577/Healing%20Peters%20mother%20in%20law.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="577" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGVRc7wvP97B6nwvS7vGAZn2mtr6wy88qR62UJS3NZQn1mrmIh9866PaIiGFU1AdH8Qoptz84kIV8RRh06X9Hpaypk4QbgELJJFAejkOZqTeNRnZhVo5zCi4Cupt_Of39rjum80nojzFnNPaPymDd3Qn7Np6yHatRTCgIOF-KTKlf-UzkwAUS4A/w413-h286/Healing%20Peters%20mother%20in%20law.jpg" width="413" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">You call <i>this</i>
“good news?” Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is ill, and then Jesus and his merry
band show up, probably unannounced, but here she is...as sick as a dog. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So what
happens? Jesus heals her. He takes her by the hand and lifted her up, the
Gospel says, and the fever left her.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Terrific...!
She’s all better! And.... then she serves them dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">One minute, she’s
lying in bed with a fever, the next minute, she’s fetching drinks and dishing
out food, hoping she’s got enough for all these hungry followers of Jesus who just showed up! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Where is the “good
news” for Simon’s mother-in-law? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">This does seem
awkward to us… but look closely at the passage and we find something else going
on. The word Mark’s Gospel uses for “serve” is the Greek word <i>diakonos</i>, which means “to wait tables.” Okay.
So?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Everyone in
Mark’s church and in the churches who share his Gospel who heard this story, when
they heard the Greek word for “service”—<i>diakonos
– </i>their ears would have
perked up and they would have looked at each other with a knowing look. Because
the word <i>diakonos </i>was an important
word among those early Christians. <i>Diakonos</i> gives us the name for the
Sacred Order of Deacons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">(“<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?shva=1#search/Kevin+Mort/FMfcgzGwHfsnjqGdCLRqcZQGvdqcfWpq" target="_blank">Hi, Kevin!</a> How
ya doin’?”)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">To “deacon” for
others meant much more than waiting tables, even if that was included.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> (Notice
how Deacon Kevin sets the table for us at the offertory before Holy Communion!)
Mark’s description of serving another opens up what is meant by "deacon." Way back in the
first chapter of the gospel, Mark used the same word to describe the way the
angels ministered to Jesus after his forty days of prayer, fasting (and
temptation!) in the wilderness. And Jesus uses the word “diakonos” to describe his
ministry when he says: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and
to give his life a ransom for many.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Jesus described
his own life and ministry on earth as service -- <i>diakonos</i>. Jesus told his disciples that were not going to big shots
on top of the heavenly heap, but that they were to be deacons for God. Their
work for God would be menial. The disciples’ service to others would be
difficult. Yet, the life of service Jesus described as a life of <i>diakonos</i>, a life of being a servant
minister, is at the heart of Jesus’ ministry, the disciple’s ministry, and ours
as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Which puts what
happened in Mark’s Gospel in a whole new light. Simon’s mother-in-law had a
life-changing encounter with the Messiah. Jesus came into her house and touched
her. In Jesus’ life-changing touch, Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was healed, made
whole, and returned—reconciled!—with her family and community, and out of a
loving response to a loving God who loved her first, she took up the life of
service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Way before her
son-in-law would be handed the keys to the kingdom, she taught him what it
means to learn and do the work of Jesus… through <i>diakonia</i>… through
service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">You know, way
before there were priests in the church, there were deacons. And even before
the Apostles would learn how to be apostles, there were people doing diaconal
service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">For those of us
who have felt the touch of Jesus in our lives, we find ourselves alongside
Simon’s mother-in-law in this story. Mark describes Jesus going to her,
touching her, and healing her in the past tense. Jesus took her by the hand and
lifted her up and the fever left her. These are all described as actions that
are over and done with. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">But Mark said
that Simon’s mother-in-law served them using a different verb tense—the
imperfect tense. This imperfect tense means that she began “deaconing,” has
continued to deacon, and, as far as we know, is out there “deaconing” still. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The imperfect
tense refers to an action that is begun but not completed. This one shift of
verb tense means that she began to serve them and continued to serve them. Her
service was not a one-time, over-and-done-with action, like cooking a meal.
Simon’s mother-in-law began to serve Jesus and his followers. But the meaning
of her actions was transformed by Jesus’ healing touch. She did not serve and
minister to them because of some duty. She served out of love. Simon’s
mother-in-law became as much a follower of Jesus as any of his disciples.
Simon’s mother-in-law was not ordained – no one was, at this point. Yet The
Gospel of Mark describes her using language that makes her the first deacon in
Christianity. She was the first person to have their ordinary <i>diakonos, </i>or service of others<i>, </i>transformed
into servant ministry. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Are you looking
for a life-changing encounter with God? Perhaps it has been a long time since
you have felt that healing touch. If so, you have come to the right place.
Right now, right here, you can put your trust in Jesus to begin your own
life-changing journey, as you discover the grace, mercy, and love God has for
you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">And in
discovering that grace, mercy, and love, you will discover the blessings of God
in service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right: 0.1in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The
Early Church called persons ordained deacons to care for the physical needs of
the congregation. Both men and women were ordained as deacons. This order of
ministry takes the care and compassion of the church into the community and
brings the needs of the community to the attention of the church. And you know,
in the history of the church, there were deacons way before they invented the
office of priest. And, looking at Peter’s mother-in-law, shows us that diaconal
work was done way before the apostles were commissioned!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right: 0.1in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">For
the church to be the Body of Christ that God means it to be, we don’t just need
deacons or priests and a bishop here and there—as important as our jobs might
be, we aren’t the whole church. No, God needs more students, nurses, educators,
engineers, scientists, plumbers, policemen, pharmacists, librarians, moms,
dads, grandparents, and so on, people who are set on fire by the power of the
Holy Spirit to learn and do the work of Jesus. And in God’s economy, the work
of deacons and priests, and even lay ministers like the altar guild and vestry
members, and sextons, administrators, and musicians, is to support and build up
and encourage the ministry of all the baptized. The ministry of deacons,
priests, and bishops does not let the rest of the Body of Christ sit back as
passive consumers of faith. Every one of us has our own unique way to live into
this call, according to the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in 6pt 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The Gospel
invites us to follow the example of this early disciple, Simon Peter’s
mother-in-law. After we have come to know Jesus and have experienced the
forgiveness and healing he offers, we are called—motivated! -- to respond to
the love God has shown us by sharing that love with those around us. And, as
you share God’s love, you are living into your own vocation as a minister of
the Gospel as a teacher, attorney, real estate agent, artist, musician, salesperson,
mechanic, doctor, volunteer, parent, grandparent, spouse – whatever, all
learning and doing the work of Jesus as baptized people of God! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">And as we share the love and grace we have known
in Jesus when we offer that listening ear, that kind word, and that helping
hand, we experience more and more the love of God flowing through us. Far from
a chore, this is <i>diakonia, </i>this loving service that helps us learn and
do the work of Jesus every day.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001msuqmg4UkMm6uj4vT4uZf-VgG9rT0O_QMFEvLMhI8zUDv_wUrWtSEC-qwI2zt5GhOzFzD6ZbKpIvYget9PahfRa7YSG4N-kGbBV6pDjvC9w7-eq3se4N85ewtrWOrQYdyckEvzI0CjA45deexDj1TJxfq-My4vhWy7uVgRjLqdXm6-bTKo3T6H0MKWMfVZItm_BoWMLxCNtAH6FdHNWAx5fme6E4eJY_wDl5QZwiCgAaJtjpIm7hlZ8m7xudt5TkTQXTNeAB4NV14q8c_ZQNyXZy4FnfqoZf&c=8t6sL12Eg_C6SN_PSQrvmmc6PgE7wISOtpWw6xZKMkCbYRQ4BJm7uA==&ch=9gX0Rutx0b8lqkzF96A8we76K8q9twtUTBU7epDwyQyVTpSZNNc2sA==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for 5th Sunday after Epiphany</a>, </span>February 4, 2024<span style="color: #221199;"> </span>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpi5_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the 5<span style="color: #2b00fe;">th Sunday after Epiphany, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">February 4</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, 2024</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/909769711?share=copy" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 4, 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/3qV5TYiVXlo?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a></span> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on February 4, 2024</div></span></span></div></div></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-77789546043490253692024-01-27T12:00:00.021-05:002024-02-01T20:35:20.828-05:00To Fight Evil, Do the Things Evil Hates<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuB6pzdazGvA_hkc6vpQQWuyrW4vfVijOdCa0VXYuWS1nrvipmQU07GvTdZj1mf_vgXFoRAOXiwFdOo0UEhgTxqs_6AREHpbwAG3E7iH9Zktq-3q_nZNpwmk4rzzMpzjnigcJt3JAynaXWBRa9i0JeRgiIud0SI4TcjEgXxoDxX9iPrcmOlW4BA/s490/Mark%201.21-28%20Mosaic%20Icon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="490" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuB6pzdazGvA_hkc6vpQQWuyrW4vfVijOdCa0VXYuWS1nrvipmQU07GvTdZj1mf_vgXFoRAOXiwFdOo0UEhgTxqs_6AREHpbwAG3E7iH9Zktq-3q_nZNpwmk4rzzMpzjnigcJt3JAynaXWBRa9i0JeRgiIud0SI4TcjEgXxoDxX9iPrcmOlW4BA/s320/Mark%201.21-28%20Mosaic%20Icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you could pick a super-power, any super-power,
what would yours be?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'd want mine to be able to cast out demons!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And my cool super-power would be so awesome
that I wouldn’t even need to say or do anything. Demons would see me coming…
and “pop…!” Out they’d come! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wouldn’t that be <i>cool?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That’s what happened to Jesus in today’s Gospel
from Mark. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue near Capernaum. Mark says he is
not just any run of the mill traveling rabbi but a person who teaches with
authority. Jesus grabs your heart as well as your mind and he won’t let go!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So here he is in Capernaum, when suddenly a guy
in the crowd jumps up and shouts “What have you to do with us, Jesus of
Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of
God!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus engages the unclean spirit directly,
silencing it and calling it out. And with convulsions and shouting, Jesus
drives the unclean spirit out of the man.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And that’s what I want to do! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine being able to spot something we don’t
like in someone and just cast it out of them!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The problem, of course, is that we’d always be
picking out the evil in the <i>other</i> guy,
never in ourselves! We’d be the one who decides who is good and who is bad and
who needs cleaning up and who doesn’t, and that’s a pretty terrible temptation,
isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I think this temptation motivates a lot of
super-religious people. You know, like the ones who stand outside military
funerals or gay pride events waving signs and shouting hateful, untrue, and
disgusting things in God’s name to and about gay and lesbian people. I think
this is also the temptation for people who join terror groups, both foreign and
domestic, and kill people in the name of God. These folks think they are
confronting evil…but in a way where they become evil themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said in 1963, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only
light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The lesson we are learning again by watching
films like <i>Selma</i> and recalling the
long non-violent struggle against state-sponsored racism is that minds—and
hearts—were changed when people refused to be goaded into violence by violence
but instead did exactly the things that evil cannot stand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And the message of the film, <i>A Case for
Love,</i> which many of us saw last week, was that the love of
Jesus shows itself through unselfish love can overcome the political and social
divides that we face today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-NIfbsO95Vsg52dutkk9dv61tnIxANswCANuSKeK_p_l6d_ksSALmvr791JoerHTwlQTnLZsoq_9kh3GnVstlcOJu_QquSZ3XldonSF579Am5HB7PhtTf_A4ZUdd5ja0RfLXT4XvbaNY_fHdD-pNy89tkzp7EGgBPFHhL81OUCLQM3pqn8qPSA/s752/SuperHeroKids.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="752" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-NIfbsO95Vsg52dutkk9dv61tnIxANswCANuSKeK_p_l6d_ksSALmvr791JoerHTwlQTnLZsoq_9kh3GnVstlcOJu_QquSZ3XldonSF579Am5HB7PhtTf_A4ZUdd5ja0RfLXT4XvbaNY_fHdD-pNy89tkzp7EGgBPFHhL81OUCLQM3pqn8qPSA/s320/SuperHeroKids.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">So my wish to have a spiritual super-power to
cast out demons may sound cool, but I think in the end it would not work.
Because whenever we decide to fight evil with evil, evil <i>always</i> wins!<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Jesus encounters the unclean spirit he not
on some spiritual search-and-destroy mission. And he is not a Gary Cooper-like
lone sheriff who’s come to clean up this town. No. Instead he taught. It was
his authority as a teacher that evil could not stand to be with. Jesus was
doing the thing that evil hates. And that is the key.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, if you want to cast out demons, do the
thing that evil hates!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Doing the thing that evil hates is taught in
Christian community. Just look at Paul’s teaching to the Christians in Corinth.
In today’s epistle, Paul addresses a question sent to him about food sacrificed
to idols. Corinth was a Greek city and this congregation had within it both
Jews and Greeks. There were people raised in the synagogue and people raised in
the religious supermarket that was Greek and Roman religion. The popular
religions of the area were an array of different gods with a little deity for every
possible need, and each cult had its own ritual. The meat that was sacrificed
in these temples was not destroyed (as in Jewish temple practice) but turned
around and sold in the marketplace. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We read in Acts (15:29) that one of the
requirements placed on Gentiles who became Christians (without first becoming
Jews) was that they were not to buy, serve or eat meat from animals that had
been sacrificed to idols. Some
Christians in Corinth defy this rule and it was creating division. Other Corinthian
Christians were unhappy about that, so they went to the apostle Paul to help
straighten out this mess.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, the Christians who ate idol-meat had a
good case. They <i>knew</i> that the little fake
deities were nothing compared to the One God made known in Jesus Christ. These
Christians <i>knew</i> that because of Christ’s
death and resurrection we are freed from all these little godlets. They said
that if Jews who follow Christ are freed from their law, so are Gentiles freed from
theirs. Paul says that they are right. But being right is not the point. Caring
for one another is.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He urges people to refrain from eating if it
would be a scandal for others. But he also tells those who stay away from
idol-meat to go ahead and eat an idol-burger if they are served one by a
Christian who thinks it’s just a burger. Paul says the most important thing is
that everyone is to look out for the other person’s conscience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">C.S. Lewis wrote in his little book about
demons and their ways called <i>The
Screwtape Letters</i>, that if the Church of England (and we) were to follow
this rule then the Church would become a “hotbed of charity” that would be make
a demon’s work nearly impossible. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I had to learn the hard way about casting out
demons. It meant learning Jesus’ new teaching and authority as well as Paul’s
model of liberty tempered by charity. It all started when I was a brand-new
priest. From time to time I’d end up at a Roman Catholic Mass…maybe for a
friend’s wedding or a funeral or something. And I’d insist on receiving
Communion. After all, I <i><u>know</u></i> my
Episcopal orders were every bit as valid as Roman Catholic ordination. I <i><u>knew</u></i> we that believe the same
thing about baptism and Eucharist. So I’d step up to receive communion telling
myself that I was being a “prophetic witness.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A wise spiritual director, on hearing me talk
about my “courageous witness….” reminded me that the line between being
prophetic and being a jerk is pretty fine. And I was being a jerk… because I
was putting my brother priests in a terrible spot and causing scandal to my fellow
Christians of another tradition who happened to not share my “knowledge.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is what Paul meant when he says knowledge
puffs up but charity builds up. Maybe I’m right, but evil just <i>loves it</i> when my knowledge becomes
another Christian’s scandal. The fact that we Episcopalians welcome all the
baptized to receive communion, no matter what flavor Christian they may be,
does not mean I get to dictate how other communities do things. It’s sad and painful
to be denied communion in churches where we share so much. But there are times
when I sit because charity demands it. I sit because it is not about <i>me</i>, it is about <i>we</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, do you want to cast out demons? Here’s how.
Do the thing that evil hates! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil hates justice and thrives on division. Seek
reconciliation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil drives us to be selfish and care only for
ourselves. Cast out evil with compassion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil wants us to be alone and cut off. Drive
evil crazy with your prayer, your trust in God, and your life in Christian
community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil flourishes when we hate in God’s name. If
you really want to cast out demons, love. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil feeds on our resentment and our list of
wrongs. Cast out evil: forgive. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil wants us to focus on scarcity. Fight evil:
be generous. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil grows when we get caught up in anxiety.
Cast out a demon: let go of needing to control every outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evil needs violence—in every form, physical and
emotional—so fight evil and live peaceably.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus shows us, starting with his encounter in
the synagogue and ending in his journey to the cross, that he had power and
authority. But he always met evil on God’s terms. By simply living and doing what
he was called to do; by teaching, healing, and being a companion to the outcast, he did all the things that evil hates…he drove evil crazy! When Jesus was
crucified, it looked as if evil won. But, in fact, the resurrection shows us that Christ defeated evil on that very cross. Forever.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We have that power and that authority right now.
Through our baptisms, the Eucharist, and the power of the Holy Spirit in this
community, everyone in this room has the power to cast out evil in wonderful, loving, and surprisingly practical ways of compassion, holiness, and calm. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial;">It turns out that we <i>all</i> have a super-power that
casts out demons! We defeat evil every
time we do the things that evil hates.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for 4th Sunday after Epiphany, </span>January 28, 2024<span style="color: #221199;"> </span>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpi4_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the <span style="color: #2b00fe;">4th Sunday after Epiphany, </span>January 28, 2024</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div><a href="https://vimeo.com/907241598?share=copy" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span>Here is a video of the </span><b style="text-decoration-line: none;">Sermon</b></span><span> </span></span></a><span style="color: #333333;">at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on January 28, 2024.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/DDw0UbZo8Ns?feature=share" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></span><span style="color: #221199;"> </span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;">at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on January 28, 2024</span></div></span></span></div></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-65707687679793544252024-01-13T12:00:00.020-05:002024-01-13T18:18:49.600-05:00A funny thing happened on the way with Jesus<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3FXJ3KE2KmenS4auUXnLK-a5C8YnqKh89zxemiSSC1IwPmo3CTTJAa5yL59e504cYkmLUTD1kQDQuZKM4-Mjav-EO6jSk3d2j3QvfXs2s8NwY_TxzAYbYOylhD1ECPzjZuBGursJKmdRY_gX63s10TqkN-5Qg_34UrEFOVO4z4R0H8RkskNvdQ/s1359/jesus-calls-philip-nathanael-ponderingsofafaithjourney.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1359" data-original-width="1055" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3FXJ3KE2KmenS4auUXnLK-a5C8YnqKh89zxemiSSC1IwPmo3CTTJAa5yL59e504cYkmLUTD1kQDQuZKM4-Mjav-EO6jSk3d2j3QvfXs2s8NwY_TxzAYbYOylhD1ECPzjZuBGursJKmdRY_gX63s10TqkN-5Qg_34UrEFOVO4z4R0H8RkskNvdQ/s320/jesus-calls-philip-nathanael-ponderingsofafaithjourney.jpg" width="248" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes you just have to have to
laugh. Or maybe hiss. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I don’t know about you, but I think
that we need more hissing in church. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In some Jewish congregations, when
Purim is celebrated, they read the story of Esther, who saves the Jewish people
from destruction from King Ahasuerus of Persia during the exile. The king loved
Esther, but his advisor, the evil Haman, wants to kick out all the Jews. Esther
outwits Haman at every turn. And, as the story is read during Purim, whenever
Haman’s is mentioned, the congregation is supposed to “hiss” and “boo” as if
they’ve seen the villain in a silent movie Western. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Would that we get so worked up, but we
take the Bible so <i>seriously!</i> Of
course, it’s easy to see why. The Bible is filled with rules and all those “<i>thou shalt nots</i>” There’s fire and
brimstone. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And it is filled with jokes. Jokes?
Well, okay, not so much jokes as comedy. It’s just that most of the time we don’t
get the joke! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That’s understandable because when the
set up for the punchline comes from first century Palestine or even earlier,
twenty-first century ears just don’t hear it! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I guess you just had to be there. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But, mostly, we are so darned serious!
Afterall, we are in Church and if it is in Church, then it must be serious,
right? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I mean look at us. We hear Jesus say
“those Pharisees! They try to remove the speck in your eye but can’t see around
the plank in their own!” (ta-da-dum-crash!) and yet we all just nod solemnly,
when we ought to be hissing! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Or when Jesus compares the Kingdom of
God to a woman who loses a gold coin and who turns her house upside down until
she finds it. That’s one crazy scene! Imagine if the part were played by
Lucille Ball or Kaley Cuoco! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But we hardly even grin. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Face it, we Christians are one tough
crowd!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Take today’s Bible lessons. Please.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First, we hear about Samuel being
called to be God’s special prophet. He is a young boy apprenticed to Eli. One
night he is sleeping in the special tent where The Ark of Covenant, considered
to be presence of God’s own self, is kept. You know how in some theaters they
keep a bare bulb lit on the empty stage when the house is empty between shows?
Well, Samuels’ job was to keep lit the light that indicates God’s presence. But
he is sleeping on the job. In between snores, he hears a voice call his name.
He assumes it is his mentor, Eli, so Samuel goes and wakes up Eli to find out
what he wants. Eli tells him to go away and goes back to sleep. Samuel does
this <i>three</i> times before a groggy and
sleep deprived Eli realizes that something is up. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And imagine how grouchy and frustrated
young Samuel is feeling being awakened three times! Now Eli instructs Samuel to
answer God the next time he is called. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">God calls Samuel and sets in motion a
divine encounter. And it all starts with situation comedy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Next, we hear about Philip, Nathaniel
and Jesus. Philip’s encounter with Jesus was also dramatic and life changing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus was direct. He sees Philip and invites
him—no, <i>commands</i> him—to join Jesus’ small band of followers. Philip is very
excited! And in his joy, he ran to find his brother, Nathaniel. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But Nathanael thinks Philip is crazy. For
one thing, false Messiahs were a dime a dozen and how could Philip be so
gullible? Second, no way that the Messiah is a country bumpkin from Nazareth! So
Nathaniel snorts, “Ha! Can any good come out of Nazareth?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love this detail. People in the Bible
were not made of stained or etched glass. They were real people! Nathaniel is
disdainful, sarcastic, and droll. And I love that because it shows us that
Jesus chose people who had the same quirks and qualities that we do. This is
why Jesus also chooses us!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Philip risked rejection when he approached
Nathanael. He risked being embarrassed even laughed at. But what overcame
Philip’s fear was his joy. It was his joy and his excitement that propelled him
forward!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So Philip drags a reluctant Nathaniel
to meet Jesus. And Jesus shows he can trash-talk with the best of them! “Look!”
Jesus says, “an Israelite in whom is no guile!” In short, Jesus’ first words to
Nathaniel is… sarcasm!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not only that, Jesus describes seeing
Nathaniel asleep under a fig tree. I am guessing that he really was asleep
because—after Nathaniel confesses that Jesus really is the Messiah—Jesus talks
about himself as being just like Jacob’s ladder. Jacob fell asleep and dreamed
of angels going up and down a ladder to heaven. Nathaniel may have been
sleeping on the job when Jesus saw him, but Nathaniel is not dreaming now! He
will see earth and heaven joined in Christ, just like Jacob and his ladder.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In our baptisms, we have encountered
the living God. In our Christian community, we are introduced to Christ. In
many small ways, we find that God sees us through and through and, at the very
same time, we are called by name to enter into God’s presence. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve heard stories like this over and
over again. And sometimes it just cracks me up, and other times it moves me to
tears… or both!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In my life, I first self-consciously
and deliberately decided to follow Jesus because a handful of friends invited
me to a prayer meeting before school when I was fourteen. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Over and over again, there are stories
of people meeting Christ in this church or in communities just like it, where
people just came together to worship, work and learn. One story I heard took
place on a battlefield, other stories I’ve heard happened in a hospital, either
in a lonely waiting room or someplace else, like the maternity ward or an ICU.
Another story I heard took place on a hiking trail and another when two friends
just decided to go to church on a whim. Sometimes, people have seen Jesus despite the
rigidities or contradictions of their former churches and having met the Christ, they have had to
leave that old place and come to this new one. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes we had an “Eli” to teach us
how to approach God. Sometimes, we’ve had a “Philip” who cared enough about us
to bring us to the place where God is, the thin place which was there was a
font or basin filled with water, our Bethel. Perhaps our Bethel is the church
where we worship today. In our baptism, <i>Jesus,
</i>Emmanuel, or “God with us,”
looked into our souls and invited us in. Like Nathanael, Christ sees are just the
sort of person Jesus needs to be one of his intimate followers. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">God’s encounter with Samuel reminds us
of something else. The ark was a holy thing, filled with God’s presence, but it
was not the ark that changed Samuel. It was not the complex ritual nor high
ideas; it was an encounter with God, mediated through Eli—in a kind of comical,
unexpected way-- that changed Samuel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was the same with Nathaniel. John’s
Gospel begins with the beautiful poem and hymn “In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God and the Word was God….” But it is not high theology
nor the grand poetry that changed Nathaniel. It was an encounter with Jesus,
who knew him through and through, mediated by a joy-filled and excited Philip
that made all the difference. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Once, Bishop Mary Glasspool, the assistant
bishop of New York, was travelling from Los Angeles to New York, which of
course meant going through security. After a thorough body scan by the
Transportation Security Agent, the agent picked up a thick leather bound book
that was her combined Prayer book and Bible, shook it slightly at her, and
asked: "Is there anything in this that could set off an alarm?" The
bishop looked the TSA agent straight in the eyes and replied, "Plenty!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What brings people to Christ is our
joy. “A good laugh is a sign of love,” Karl Rahner writes. “It may be said to
give us a glimpse of, or a first lesson in, the love that God bears for every
one of us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial;">You just have to
laugh!</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001AEDzdGW1u3RW5IBy2rarUHQ3n-K8_03NO6HpGq7TQLgYoAYdRnVcYWZJNyyNiKjQsTHMnD-fVq0-srfVxNATCJWqTUEu8Gpvishqi-ZNreV58t4nz_4-7I_cdz-kLD_6k3Dnbnuc4Hr98NEYLVbekheGyrae4daDws8YxwqFNowhesP9v0GKX1gpUaDspmm8H1h8m6NS8_6yQ8x4jHhrK5tfjKwkrvkFTXOF7Z5WIJby4Yjw3K3-3GINblU-Fku5D1g54gttNSDh4X516ThKl0Vun43MalxR&c=YpSyw7L3G37BmT1VXjTC0eNWXlzj5QkPZi-a8_E1wVIKUZPjDs_nOQ==&ch=icp0k6jMDJpxh2T1ntFrRgnPzDHSoX4Nfit_kXryPcDmDv4YSaZ1eQ==" target="_blank"><b style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;">Bulletin</b><span style="color: #221199;"> for Worship </span><span style="color: #221199;">for </span>2nd Sunday after Epiphany</a>, </span>January 14, 2024<span style="color: #221199;"> </span>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpi2_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the <span style="color: #2b00fe;">2nd Sunday after Epiphany, </span>January 14, 2024</div></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/897649393" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on January 14, 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/XDxabz-pxcE?feature=share" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </a></span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on January 14, 2024</div></span></span></div></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-5631580554996705932023-12-30T17:20:00.005-05:002023-12-30T17:27:03.739-05:00God pitches a tent among us<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx45lW6VuDfJ4SlAuN7wQ-Ici4agoSBNcs3-YMAqgnyEcLEs4BCPx7juUIpyeJ8fOwLcXrbZPkPlbuDplFCje_FkG_ODyKwTm-nVmErSxePrJI7bhIQvxu5iPS_s1LU-8UPFKPRWtPKZdG8_gl3vOPwFMBzZt8z0BspaU6ISWqt1nbO9AlF6UoUg/s600/crite-1%20John%201.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx45lW6VuDfJ4SlAuN7wQ-Ici4agoSBNcs3-YMAqgnyEcLEs4BCPx7juUIpyeJ8fOwLcXrbZPkPlbuDplFCje_FkG_ODyKwTm-nVmErSxePrJI7bhIQvxu5iPS_s1LU-8UPFKPRWtPKZdG8_gl3vOPwFMBzZt8z0BspaU6ISWqt1nbO9AlF6UoUg/w398-h353/crite-1%20John%201.png" width="398" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The most
amazing thing is tucked away inside the Gospel of John. Did you catch it?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Most of us
have heard this majestic and abstract poem from John’s Gospel, filled with
mystical and evocative images like, “The Word became flesh and <i>lived
among us</i>.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Okay. So?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The image of
God dwelling among us is beautiful and a bit abstract, but what does it mean?
What kind of dwelling? A castle? A Frank Lloyd Wright house like Falling Waters?
An ante-bellum mansion? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We can
imagine all kinds of dwelling places for God —but what about a tent? That might
have been the preferred residence of a semi-nomadic people in the ancient near
east. What kind of dwelling do you think God would prefer?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A small-town
paper in another city recently reported on the growing population of homeless
people in their community. The paper reported how the word got out about a
local storefront ministry that serves hot breakfasts and lunches seven days a
week, and a 90-day transitional housing program they run. The trouble is that
people came from miles around pitching tents on vacant lots, and hanging out
all day waiting for their next meal. Predictably, many local residents and
small business owners were unhappy. Either they were concerned that there
wouldn’t be enough food to go around, or, more often, they were afraid that
this wave of homeless folks might send the wrong signal and hurt business,
especially right before Christmas. So the idea of anyone pitching a tent in that
town—except for scouts in the backyard—was viewed with suspicion and the police
were called.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyTiXcYa8adAtoe4w_G7DBwPQ-CavmgH_zU1IsufLho2VM-mE6y-fXF432hGQPNvt92CXAPLvi6Vz4n4y3OSZEMYd64lHtNhO0cioS4WSaDmmB7jZiBuBnSlcXJ3xKziDgjCAh5JRzbevv9_uvGidhN7myhLO3AmpCQWkneQHe-Rtv4T57liJ_w/s758/streetcar-madonna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="758" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyTiXcYa8adAtoe4w_G7DBwPQ-CavmgH_zU1IsufLho2VM-mE6y-fXF432hGQPNvt92CXAPLvi6Vz4n4y3OSZEMYd64lHtNhO0cioS4WSaDmmB7jZiBuBnSlcXJ3xKziDgjCAh5JRzbevv9_uvGidhN7myhLO3AmpCQWkneQHe-Rtv4T57liJ_w/w400-h244/streetcar-madonna.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">In Matthew
and Luke, we heard how Jesus was born. John’s Gospel says that the Word became
flesh. The idea of God Almighty pitching a tent among us may seem strange to us.
Because this isn’t a Good Sam camping center and Jesus isn’t driving an RV. No,
in Jesus the Eternal Word became flesh, and that means that the perfect
expression of God’s whole self was also fully human—and the idea that God, the
creator and sustainer of the universe, would need to have a diaper changed, or
go hungry, or need a bath is, frankly, shocking. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">John’s Gospel
tells us that the Word, the <i>Logos</i>, was in the Beginning before Creation
dwelt among us— and that the <i>logos</i> dwelt—lived, camped out, worked with
and interacted with ordinary people every day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">How would you
feel about the Christ showing up in our backyard and asking us to pitch his
tent right next to our house. I don’t know about you, but that makes me feel a
bit… vulnerable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I remember a
long time ago going on a camping trip as a teenager with my Baptist youth
group. I shared tent with three other boys in the group and soon, instead of
sleeping, we were having a frank conversation about life in our high school and
the questions we faced, the uncertainties we felt… the girls we liked. The next
morning at breakfast, the youth pastor said to me quietly as he was flipping
pancakes “You know, I could hear you four talking last night.” I suppose I
ought to have been embarrassed; but if I was, I don’t remember feeling that way
for very long. Because that conversation cemented friendships that has survived
geography and the decades.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another thing
about tents: they are always a bit dirty, no matter how careful you are about
keeping your shoes outside. After a few days of wrapping up the same tent and
hiking or biking to the next place, it can get a little well… ripe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dirtiness and
exposure. We might want to put on our Sunday best to come to church, but when
God comes to dwell among us, he is okay with a little dirt and some
vulnerability. Jesus would not do well on social media because has a lot to
learn about managing his reputation!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The problem
for us though is just that--- vulnerability and with it how to be
interconnected and appropriately intimate. A recent cover story for <i>The
Atlantic</i> explored the steady delay and decline in intimate
relationships (not just marriage) among younger people. We live in an age and
culture where self-sufficiency and independence are upheld as attainable goals.
If you lack a cup of sugar, don’t bother your neighbors, just run to the super
store. Don’t know how to fix something? Pull up a YouTube video on your
smartphone. Need a ride to the airport? Don’t ask a friend Uber <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>instead, all you need is your credit card. Small-talk
optional.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Genuine
intimacy is risky. It means that we’ll be exposed, with all our anxiety, imperfections,
short-tempers, and quick assumptions for all to see. Nope, in our culture, we
will either say “No, thank you. I’ll take care of myself” or else pay a
professional to provide for our physical needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Contrast this
to what God does in Christ. Later in the same verse, when St. John tells us
that the Word, the <i>logos</i>, the Christ, Jesus, has come to pitch his
tent among us, he says that we have seen Jesus’ glory—and it is full of grace
and truth. Grace and truth. Imagine: the majesty of God in street clothes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Which leads
to our second discomfort: It’s hard enough to entertain the idea of Jesus
pitching a tent in our backyards, it is even harder to let his Spirit take up
residence in our hearts,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But, as Paul says
in Galatians, we need the assurance of Christ’s grace—the loving confidence and
relief that comes from knowing that God sees us exactly as who we are—but
through the divine lens of mercy, loving-kindness, and unconditional love.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And that
assurance of God’s grace, of God’s desire to be with us—no matter how much we fear
being exposed, being caught with metaphorical dirt under our nails, no matter
how much we want to hide because of our shame, our guilt, or just the fact that
we are imperfect, never measuring up to the person we’d like to be—that
assurance is the greatest gift we can receive. It is the gift of the
Incarnation, the gift of Emmanuel – <i>God-with-us. </i>That is the gift
of Christmas. That is why God is born a fully human person.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
invitation of the Christmas season is to accept the gift. To enter into, as we
did at Baptism, a lifelong process of growing more comfortable with God, ourselves,
our living, and our relationships, “Just as I am,” as the old hymn says. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Once upon a
time, I was a church that had a small Saturday night service. One<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cold rainy night a person showed up at church
looking for food and help. He was drenched and scruffy looking. He lived in a
tent that he pitched on the Delaware River, but his tent was washed away in the
rain. I was at a loss as to how to help. So, while I was thinking about phone
numbers, and whom to contact, and how to access this or that agency, three of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>our Saturday night worship regulars got to
work. They invited him to a restaurant for food, one of the group went into her
trunk and gave him a tarp to rebuilt his tent. Others found him dry clothes
from our donations pile to the local clothing bank. Maybe it wasn’t the best
casework on the planet, but I will never forget their spontaneous and pragmatic
compassion. It was as if Jesus showed up unannounced and dwelt amongst us… and
these folks passed the test.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Feast of
the Incarnation, Christmas, show us that Jesus pitched his tent in the middle
of the messiness of the human condition, and here he lives our struggle, our uncertainty,
our finitude, our sin, our truth. And through his incarnation, death, and
resurrection he shows us—welcomes us—as Jesus’ brother, or sister, as adopted
children of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">God in Jesus pitches
his tent among us and dwells with us, so that we may dwell with him, become
homes for the Holy Spirit, and welcome all kinds of people from every possible
place and situation into God’s kingdom.</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001DtIs38-i0VeShKxyDIM2GJmXMLe5yISY_ewcpNrW1sW6UPotENXset0_w0HLXTaDryjYaKe5H5wDwK6MGFqmqQcd7sZ82doTu92hKsbtDz8PyXb_qkvkQuuBz33cysGN6vGlmsOLruIx4uJeV45JUca4DvnrS2rRwDJCFlqH8G5vLegWvwE7zpkOYqpX9Si6wfQQxIg2C9N8MzklEE__0VtavQrUZVWUlY6Md6DnNKVj3MgUe2AefsN0SNsxOGjIfySXAa00-WdBSABULRlfA3rcfYFAmYKa&c=tum8MIf1nN1TyiRYyGFNT1C3FvmpkjEdOzwqmWDsAvCSrWpT2BZ9CA==&ch=mfnP4hyWVrhpr6VZf6K6sch2VgpLwY6VV0XKIkYZrZEFhgP3vlA5_g=="><b style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;">Bulletin</b><span style="color: #221199;"> for Worship for 1</span>st Sunday of Christmas</a>, </span>December 31, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearABC/Christmas/Christmas1.html" style="color: #221199;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></span> </a>for the 1st Sunday after Christmas, December 31, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/897649393" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on December 31, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/XDxabz-pxcE?feature=share" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </a></span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on December 31, 2023.</div></span></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-86032120442145939742023-12-24T14:31:00.021-05:002023-12-29T10:23:05.421-05:00The fullness of God meets the fullness of humanity<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-gXBXi_U9eJwlDObhwwqEsdyV82CGwO5SXHoO21SrRCzn658cBk4UVIggjw03sjLDRMxRNNHKUyF3K6ONb_gyilCoz9x2VQfGv9dMhIjahreQVvf3v_VBZCUleH1WScvul8PigQvXvXNN2THKp4DtRLP9bvF2B319rBvyUFRqHjG7Hmy8L6Y8A/s500/nativity%20icon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-gXBXi_U9eJwlDObhwwqEsdyV82CGwO5SXHoO21SrRCzn658cBk4UVIggjw03sjLDRMxRNNHKUyF3K6ONb_gyilCoz9x2VQfGv9dMhIjahreQVvf3v_VBZCUleH1WScvul8PigQvXvXNN2THKp4DtRLP9bvF2B319rBvyUFRqHjG7Hmy8L6Y8A/s320/nativity%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">There is a story that has been making the
rounds for years now, and it’s popped up on the internet again. Maybe you’ve
seen it? <span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">According to the story, a
church was having a Christmas pageant, and the boy who was playing the
innkeeper was not the sharpest kid in the congregation -- but he was well
liked, so they chose him to play the innkeeper.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The idea was that this boy would listen to
Joseph explain his need for a room. Then he would respond, "Sorry,
but all our rooms are full."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Everything went just fine at first. The
boy listened as Joseph made his plea for a room. "Sorry, no
rooms," he said. He listened again as Joseph spoke of Mary, who
really needed a good rest after her long journey. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Sorry, no rooms," the boy said
again -- but with a bit less conviction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">And then, when Joseph and Mary turned sadly to
depart, the boy's conviction crumbled altogether. "Wait," he
said. "You can have my room."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I love that story. You have probably
heard it before. What you might not know is that it is a true
story. The boy's name was Wally. The story first appeared in
Guideposts in 1966, and has been charming people for nearly fifty years and
Guideposts has reprinted the story a number of times since.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">There are other reasons why I love that story
for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is a moving story. I can just
imagine that kind-hearted boy trying to turn away Joseph and Mary. I can
imagine how difficult that must have been for him. I can imagine him
crumbling under pressure -- offering the only thing that he had to give -- his
own room. I can imagine the rest of the kids and the Sunday School
teachers trying to figure out what to do once Wally took the play in a whole
new direction. I can imagine some of the adults being upset because Wally
didn't follow the script. And I can imagine other adults sitting in the pews
wiping tears from their eyes as they witnessed one of those special moments
that we are privileged to see only now and then.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">While boys like Wally can't be counted on to
follow the script, they can be counted on to do the right thing. They can
be counted on to give us at least a fleeting glimpse into the kingdom of
heaven. A moment like that one comes only rarely -- and fleetingly -- and
then it lingers on in our hearts as it reminds us what God was doing at
Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I’ll bet Joseph and Mary wished Wally was their
innkeeper! The Government of Rome, the occupiers of first century Palestine,
launched a census. Everyone had to go home to their home city. We hear that
when Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem, he found “no room in the inn.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I always have to put aside a mental image of
what “no room at the inn” meant. In my mind’s eye, I see a buzzing neon sign on
a motel just off the interstate. Mary and Joseph were turned away because the
inn would not accept someone as low-class like poor Joseph. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">You know what seems strange? Joseph is going to
his home-town, right? How come no one in the family put him up? Some scholars
looked at that question, and it seems that none of Joseph’s relatives let him
in because they were offended that Joseph and his pregnant girlfriend showed up
on their doorstep. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I tend to want to make my mental pictures of Christmas
as pretty as postcards. But then, I have never had to spend the night in a
barn. It would never occur to me to put a baby in a pile of hay that animals
eat from. I think of shepherds as something like gentlemen farmers when in fact
they were the truck-drivers and migrant workers of their day. And I have never
had my parents or relatives tell me to go away because I was disgrace. Jesus
was born to poor parents, in the wrong part of town, without a place to call
home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Jesus was born in this way not because of bad
luck but because God is up to something. God is near us. No matter what we’ve
done, or what happens to us, or what kind of life we’ve led, God is with us. God
makes a home in human flesh, so that we can be at home in our own skin. God is
with us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">If you take anything away from our encounter
with the infant Jesus, that is what I want you to hear, that God is with us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Are you feeling far away from the goals you set
for yourself? God is with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Do you look for meaning and dignity in your
work? God is with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Are you alone? God is with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Are you struggling with an addiction or love
someone who is? God is with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Are you tired of more month left at the end of
the money? God is with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Do you find yourself feeling down, or
distracted, or without energy for life? God is with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The strange thing is that very often, God is
with us through people who have found out the hard way that God is with them,
too. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The AA sponsor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The soup kitchen client who is now the soup
kitchen volunteer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The woman who survived violence who helps other
women.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The cancer survivor who drives cancer patients
to their treatments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The person who drives meals to people who
cannot get out of their homes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">All these people live out Jesus’ name, Emmanuel,
God is with us, in their own lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">People who have found themselves changed by God
don’t keep it to themselves very often. They either tell people or they show
them how God is changing them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">It makes sense to me that the story of Joseph
and Mary stuck in a barn and Jesus being born in a feeding trough, of shepherds
being the ones to hear the news of God-Is-With-Us, comes from the Gospel of
Luke. Because it is from Luke that we hear of what kind of Church Jesus left
behind. A church that went out into the world; a church that cared for widows
and orphans; a church that banded together to feed hungry people half-a-world
away when that really meant something. I wonder if the Church of Luke and Acts
did this because they knew that Jesus was born homeless and poor, if they
remembered the nativity stories because they Jesus in the poor and homeless? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">At Christmas, the fullness of God is one with
the fullnees of humanity, and is born in the poorest of surroundings! At first
glance, it makes no sense whatsoever, until you see <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God-With-Us in the poorest face and sees the
dignity of humanity it each person, no matter where they come from or their
situation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The story of Wally and his cracking under
pressure to let Joseph and Mary in is a picture of conversion. It is a story of
a heart changing in the face of God-with-Us showing up on the doorstep. It is a
story of a person who looks deep into the eyes of sadness and knows no other
course but to respond with compassion. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">It may not be in the script, but it is how God
works.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The moment we look, look deep into Christmas
and discover in the cold and poverty and loneliness of the manger God-With-Us,
we are changed. We discover that in Christ God is there to change our hearts,
to make us whole, and to give us the power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">When we look deep into the manger and find the
Christ, we find that Christ has found us, too. And we are able in His power to
touch other hearts seeking after God, like us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">There was no room in the inn, but even still
God in Jesus makes room in our hearts. God is With Us. Making room. Changing
hearts.</span><o:p style="font-size: 16pt;"></o:p></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-fJI9j6FuZkZoBB6t0Eo9fmAJcn6upzDjLTtiA9rC9w-yeh6Oa9t2Lzw9jjLr5srSRivrzdbhRdDsacqdBTs5IiMoW3WcA8IUxxZu5fmetA3zQwnXn_ndI5pJ_4PlwYvURj9dXdPP6qdn2HtAZkW5Bq_uUXYqcBkdd335GC0QN7Q6vvE7mzuYd3EFvDgLaXeRm8IKnC89OyzGaiLxBpTjs6ZSgBtUyqgPomBPKXk7u43SSeS13EY1ZKvtc-9VxDTY5t5jwPFbPia2_ILGlMxXW_0n4SJf8YS&c=cMHlOvZCw89b_p0WI5HtgTeUy8SGKiZGRYo7pShckMVz99cr8e5DGg==&ch=TnOMwq2fR0AgyiXzOIxJkLdmzWbi1-rP9Xt1HaP5a8KFe_7rwyK1Tw==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for Christmas Eve</a>, </span>December 24, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearABC_RCL/Christmas/ChrsDay1_RCL.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></span> </a>for the Third Sunday of Advent, December 24, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/897649393" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on December 24, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href=" https://youtube.com/live/XDxabz-pxcE?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </a></span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on December 24, 2023.</div></span></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-71882856186573474002023-12-16T21:06:00.000-05:002023-12-16T21:06:52.939-05:00Answering our cry for help<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMe_Y49DY4p0T021wAZL8ghu1LuVmvP6vCdA19pOXb7i1IWhnldIIi8QeVr2s6vozsFBUN4CfKsx_TjBo-XXAfAI4lxYlkcerVUzJScYSasN31f-u57nfTPnsoDuhJ6O9T5rIizsl9XLIaJDk8T2_hCyzP2DayDEgpGMC5IyGgZ3zCVNsJVc9qw/s833/Mary%20meets%20Elizabeth%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMe_Y49DY4p0T021wAZL8ghu1LuVmvP6vCdA19pOXb7i1IWhnldIIi8QeVr2s6vozsFBUN4CfKsx_TjBo-XXAfAI4lxYlkcerVUzJScYSasN31f-u57nfTPnsoDuhJ6O9T5rIizsl9XLIaJDk8T2_hCyzP2DayDEgpGMC5IyGgZ3zCVNsJVc9qw/s320/Mary%20meets%20Elizabeth%20icon.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>If you spend
any time on social media, and look beyond the cartoons, the cat videos, and the
memes, you will find bite-sized human stories.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I once read a
status update from the friend of a friend… a 17-year-old young woman who seems
to have the whole world right before her— she has friends, she is a good
student, she is a musician and an athlete, and is about to begin the college
safari. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet her status update seems to
came out of the fog like an SOS.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It reads: “I
feel as if the weight of the whole world is on my shoulders.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another time,
I ran into another old friend on Facebook who told me that the job he worked in
for that last decade or so has just disappeared. Poof! Now, here he is, in his
early- to mid-fifties, on the hunt for work. He says on his status that he is
trying to see this as an opportunity and not as a setback, but it is not easy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And nearly
every day I read a new prayer request for a person facing surgery, some crisis,
or transition, or for a person grieving a loss.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These
electronic cries for help are quiet cries for hope in a life filled with
uncertainty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You do not need a computer
or broadband to find this theme in human experience. It’s been in art and
literature, even Scripture, since the very beginning. In fact, it shows up
whenever people of faith look around at the world they inhabit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s scriptures included.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But there is
a response, and, in fact, an antidote in today’s Scripture. In fact, if there is a
common theme in today’s lessons, it is this: that we are called to rejoice in
the midst of uncertainty.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All of the
Scripture and music in today’s Lessons & Carols, tell us that the promised Messiah
is coming—and that they should get ready. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Advent is a
season of rejoicing and anticipation. We are being reminded to rest in God, because
God has done, and is doing, great things for us, that God is with us now, and
God’s future is always unfolding. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The challenge
is to rise to the occasion without forcing the issue. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To that seventeen-year-old
friend of a friend, I would point to John the Baptist, who carries the voice of
the anointed one but is comfortable enough in his own skin to know that he is
not the messiah. I would say to her, you have so much ahead of you, the one
thing you don’t have to worry about is being the Messiah. You are not there to
save the world, let alone your parent and loved one’s images of you. You are
called to be the best “you” that you can possibly be. That is more than enough
voice that prepares God’s way for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To the one
who feels that life is becalmed if not beached, I would direct them to the scripture, music, and
songs of hope, of faith that we heard today. Especially to those looking forward, to the words of Isaiah bringing words
of hope and comfort to a people displaced by war and turmoil. But especially, I would point to
the relationship between Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, who when they realize that God is doing great things
in both of their lives break out in prayer and song as they discover the
nearness and greatness of God in their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Advent
reminds us that God always meets us where we are, as we are, and exactly at the
point of our greatest need. And that God who meets us, is ready to walk with us
through all of life, no matter what it brings us, and not only bring us home,
as the full person that God made us to be… ready to serve, ready to love, ready
to follow and walk with Jesus every step of the way. Today, we have heard the
story of God’s saving work, of how God meets us where our need is the greatest,
and how God in Christ accompanies us to the fullness and richness of life
promised in the coming of Jesus at Christmas. This is what we await, and this
is what God does for all of us every day.</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the Third Sunday of Advent</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>December 17, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Advent/BAdv3_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on December 17, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on December 17, 2023.</div></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-25939668209196379472023-11-25T17:49:00.029-05:002023-11-27T10:45:59.286-05:00God's reign on earth as in heaven<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TBBduDd3xbpxWkCnGXxCufZU0oYAcsOOEQflRmMmjBw-rDcGIygogpd-uDYteAtAxULpNJG8X1nHgjuBCL3q2vO2uqvTHpK2YWxp2r4txSqbWI9NxI5dIwUv5FZB04TruSJfN4Is4sBEGczc7WATxANWBsYHduE9JfFpOiMOhQsEoOWCnJI5SQ/s1024/Scrooge%20and%20Marley.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TBBduDd3xbpxWkCnGXxCufZU0oYAcsOOEQflRmMmjBw-rDcGIygogpd-uDYteAtAxULpNJG8X1nHgjuBCL3q2vO2uqvTHpK2YWxp2r4txSqbWI9NxI5dIwUv5FZB04TruSJfN4Is4sBEGczc7WATxANWBsYHduE9JfFpOiMOhQsEoOWCnJI5SQ/w388-h218/Scrooge%20and%20Marley.jpg" width="388" /></a></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This last
Sunday of the Church’s year is often called “the feast of Christ the King” and
while that might sound strange, in fact, you pray that Christ will reign in
glory all the time, don’t you? Yes, you really do!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When we pray
the Lord’s Prayer, as a group or on our own, we pray that God’s will and God’s
Kingdom will happen on earth as it happens in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Nice idea.
But exactly what would that look like?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, I
suppose it depends on what your idea of heaven is.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you think
that heaven is like all those cartoons and jokes … filled with puffy clouds,
where everyone has a halo, wings, and a harp, after getting through pearly gates and past the heavenly <span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Maître d</span>, then I guess then you either want
heaven to be really peaceful and quiet with harp music over the loudspeakers—or
maybe you want a place to get away from it all. And how would that show
up on earth? Probably in a kind of religion that says we don’t ever talk about
things that are hard: like poverty…or war… or sickness… or ethics…. We'd just
speak comfortable things, focusing only on ‘being saved’ or spiritual gifts
without ever thinking about the ethical demand that grows out of following
Jesus, and the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to live a transformed,
compassionate, active life of service and prayer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you think
that heaven is filled up with people who think and act just like us, then I
guess that heaven will look a lot like our Facebook pages, and wouldn’t that be
a sad, boring thing? Imagine eternity living itself out in pretty familiar ways,
as we do right now. We would only watch what we like, hang out only with people
just like us, and with folks that pretty much believe and act the way we think
they’re supposed to. I don’t know about you, but I doubt that this what Jesus
had in mind when he taught us his prayer, or when he talked about the ones who enter into God's reign in today's Gospel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And how we
view heaven and God’s reign has an impact on our everyday ethics and behavior
because if you think heaven is only going to be filled up with people who do
right or believe right or think right, then you probably think that life today
should be managed and governed only by people who do, believe, and think the
right way—however you define that!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The problem
with these approaches is that we end up spending a lot of time trying to manage
how other people believe, feel, think, and act. We want to make them straighten
up and fly right.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another
problem is that this turns our biases, prejudices, and assumptions into
different kinds of idols. Because we try to get heaven (and God) to conform to
our image not the other way around<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But if we
really believe what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, then our prayer is that God
will act and be present in our lives every day just as God is present and at
work in heaven. What will that look like?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, let’s
ask Jesus—or at least today’s Gospel lesson! — where Jesus asks simply “did you
do on earth what God does in heaven?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhCZYTtRJwFbF3kwB_yzUjn4fNYzpCZ4gOocD2S7t0dDcUOM78IaCWQH3b4zgsuAAMS-Uk0cWwc5HO4psB9nt0ER1oIFgfIOPPEBtdU_Z3rVPTlsFtjQNuXBNNyO5APS5QwfpztpKDFHFy_xTBREXKE1ZBo8bg7INbIWyHmNr-CvnycqxY9IwcA/s834/Mttw%2025.31-46%20sheep%20&%20goats.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="834" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhCZYTtRJwFbF3kwB_yzUjn4fNYzpCZ4gOocD2S7t0dDcUOM78IaCWQH3b4zgsuAAMS-Uk0cWwc5HO4psB9nt0ER1oIFgfIOPPEBtdU_Z3rVPTlsFtjQNuXBNNyO5APS5QwfpztpKDFHFy_xTBREXKE1ZBo8bg7INbIWyHmNr-CvnycqxY9IwcA/s320/Mttw%2025.31-46%20sheep%20&%20goats.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">We tend to
think of God’s final judgment as something big, and cosmic and grand. We think
of God sorting out the good from the bad. What I love about this story is that
Jesus’ sets it up exactly as how we would expect it—and then turns it upside
down!<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In today’s
Gospel, we see that Christ returns in glory surrounded by angels. And he
separates the nations into those who will enter heaven and those destined for
eternal punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And what’s
the criteria for entrance?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Is it right
belief? Nope!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Is it
belonging to the right religion or denomination? Nyet!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Is it doing
the right ritual at the right time? Uh-uh!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In this
passage, the criteria for entrance into Heaven turns out to be simple kindness.
How simple? So simple that the people being welcomed—or not—did not even notice
that they had the opportunity to act.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When did we
feed you? When did we clothe you? When did we care for you? When did we visit
you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus’
answer: when you took care of anyone who was hungry or naked or sick or in
prison or alone or in trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Bible Scholars may laugh me out of the room, but I see this passage in Matthew 25 as a kind of commentary<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%a%3A9-13&version=NRSVUE" target="_blank"> on the Lord's Prayer</a> in Matthew chapter 6. It is an image and description of how God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQguKC0GFKkPxsTZJ8Wlsntsd8Xwytc1Np7xvgUDgPirjzmoU_fYm0e5MUcCytpdBnEemIJZ9hqRQfCwpPFcUfZmIKrws1C_vxRtK4kT7mMGQsZtWuLIrMcuLvlYBOyoJ_1rlY7ED5yrGytYp4M7N-uNQ1SWZGduxCzKpBrnQnXnNyWk0AmCB7fQ/s299/Bozeman%20and%20Ford,%20Robinson%20and%20Rickey.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQguKC0GFKkPxsTZJ8Wlsntsd8Xwytc1Np7xvgUDgPirjzmoU_fYm0e5MUcCytpdBnEemIJZ9hqRQfCwpPFcUfZmIKrws1C_vxRtK4kT7mMGQsZtWuLIrMcuLvlYBOyoJ_1rlY7ED5yrGytYp4M7N-uNQ1SWZGduxCzKpBrnQnXnNyWk0AmCB7fQ/s1600/Bozeman%20and%20Ford,%20Robinson%20and%20Rickey.jpg" width="299" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">One of my
all-time favorite movies is <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453562/" target="_blank">“42”</a>, the story of Jackie Robinson (played by the late Chadwick Boseman) and his first
season with the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first black player in Major League
Baseball in the modern era (since Moses Fleetwood Walker played for Cleveland in the 1880’s).
Today’s Gospel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jtJ1yo8uQ4" target="_blank">made me remember a scene in the film</a> when Branch Rickey, the
manager of the Dodgers, played by Harrison Ford, gets a call from Herb Pennock
the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1947. Pennock wants Rickey to leave
Robinson in Brooklyn, saying that if Robinson comes to Philadelphia, the
Phillies won’t take the field.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Branch Rickey
asks Pennock “You think God likes baseball, Herb?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“What - ?”
replied Pennock. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“It means,”
shouts Rickey into the phone before slamming it down, “someday you're gonna
meet God, and when he inquires as to why you didn't take the field against
Robinson in Philadelphia, and you answer that it's because he was a Negro, it
may not be a sufficient reply!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At this time of the rolling year, I start following my personal annual tradition of re-reading
Charles Dickens’ famous little book <i>A Christmas Carol.</i> I
especially like to hear the version acted out as a one-man show by Patrick
Stewart (not the TV movie), while I drive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the
things that stands out for me every time I read it, either in print or on
audio, Dickens idea of hell. Hell is not a place where “goats” and “sheep” (as
they are called in Jesus’ story today) are separated into camps but someplace
far scarier. Instead of going to fiery pits, <i>A Christmas Carol </i>describes
the eternal wailing and gnashing of the condemned, the "goats," if
you will, happening right here on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As Marley’s
ghost leaves him, warning of the three spirits yet to visit him, a shaken and
startled Ebenezer Scrooge looks out the window of his bedroom and sees a world
where “the air was filled with phantoms,” all carrying chains, cash boxes,
safes, and bags of gold, wailing “mournful dirges.” And they wail because they
see poverty and want all around them and wish to intervene for good but have
lost forever the power to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Marley’s
ghost moans his plight, holding up his own chain that bind him, explaining: “I
wear the chain I forged in life.... I made it link by link, and yard by yard….”
He says he forged the chain in life and that Scrooge's own spiritual chain was
even longer and heavier than his.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“But you were
always a good man of business, Jacob,” faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply
this to himself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Business!”
cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business;
charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings
of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my
business!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I think about
that scene as every day and every week we pray that simple, radical prayer that
Jesus taught us and which we learned as children. And in that prayer, we pray
that what God wills in heaven will be done on earth. Unlike Marley’s
ghost, we have the power right now to intervene for good.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As you think
about the blessings you’ve received, and contemplate how to return those
blessings to God through your pledge and giving to this church and elsewhere,
as you think about how you might use your time, talent, and treasure for God’s
purposes think about the lesson of today’s Gospel. God has given you the tools,
the grace, the means, and the power to participate in God's reign, but has left
us the choice to take that up in practical ways every day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Notice that
in Dicken's story, one of the things that changes for Scrooge after his
conversion is his relationship to money. Instead of hoarding it and, in a way,
fearing it; his wealth becomes his power for good.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">How we
respond to the people God has given to us will depend largely on how we use our
treasure, time, and talent for good. In the story, Scrooge's money becomes, after his conversion, the way that he touches
the lives of not only the Cratchits, but his city and community. His transformation is halting
at first but grows, as illustrated in how he joins in with the worship of his
local church at Christmas, how he repents to the two 'portly gentlemen,' and how he helps the Cratchits, at first in secret and then in a renewed relationship. Dicken’s describes the effect of his spiritual transformation
in terms of both his ethics and his generosity, as well as his personality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For Jesus,
the key to the kingdom—what makes God’s kingdom and God’s will happen on earth
just as it happens in heaven-- is so simple that we can overlook it…. Or we can
just as easily practically and usefully participate in God’s reign by serving
the ones described in today’s Gospel: the hungry, the sick, the lonely, the
naked, the homeless, the imprisoned. Here is the mark of God’s work being done on earth as in
heaven. It is when people act in kindness, have the eyes to see God’s face in
the people God gives to us, the ears to hear God's voice in them, and the
willingness to be God’s hands, feet, and voice, to those who seek him and cry
out for justice and compassion. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Every day we
pray to live and do God’s will, no matter where it takes us; and every day we
have the power in our own small ways to do just that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001N4Ex2W7ZCPGmYObaXZQPn0cdTE5GIQu2fpchI8sDPhn9ubHXWrnxrsdhPxjNCit4sYhkFAncrE4z9VNu779Hc6yCDmfdv_B9viFvkwvdX-qQA0tyw7G9AN_xWov0uncFiyESepDzUpZ2Rb-7aRycJX5TOmwNnO3xKbRSGVZ-vmlFwBjUz1Kzn3MkEyu9h9aCkZTYPNFHC5j3gBr3cYz2FbAHtscsUtmfgOgSzrPFvPAUFbnS_MDCmpByC5MDjVK3Uhj2avIlcem00G4RtRdmgavTUFzdVP37&c=GyaLMaG5Nv8sLCqGEGgD33KqJposhP55xcDQtndDh7YQbXkmuFExvg==&ch=BZiZ6vKMmSHIcKtOaKvCudSb0cq5nkyVAWncs8XSDTnebLlBSsY3MA==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the Last Sunday after Pentecost (aka "Christ the King" or "The Reign of Christ")</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uZC9WYYHzsUb52mjIxYbg6tG3ZwVWVOzTcMhvi59c_37rkxz1DXJzu4iLXT09wmNQcwCk-kNLOAtDQEWmfmyyvIWkgPTdYcVCTTUV-agFoe3Ni9wqLtsJltp7ph05ZcMfHKJuTVxO5L0OVoblC24VkIOwHcywdCQ6c3FV0r-VZhMdMTm1bXTCkPvRgSZOvJjDROKreCd6yme0B0Ge9HDsXCY2fCrux4E7lLXPiZwravBd1QKJy5m3pl1zPOY7j3RrZpAiSRegOy_kNhJIAC3txrEHEF4HM6s&c=9NKzD9o8Hdj-McZc1DgdOQW4WbG2DmTlIp8AZzTtaxhRD4LUSm514A==&ch=CP8sITBKh2UWCMVLXmGRjwWg8Q2eQ_qZWNqRk_RoCk34pW9svAsc5w==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">,</a></span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>November 26, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp29_RCL.html#gsp1" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the Last Sunday after Pentecost, November 26, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/888485538" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 26, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/-IVkkGN0PKM?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 26, 2023.</div></span></div></div></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-74446730698583989582023-11-18T12:09:00.000-05:002023-11-18T12:09:01.866-05:00God's gifts, God's purposes, Our action<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_A-1cQXbUzN_pbxY5cF0TKdeh5kcrCTZ6YTkqKeiSSsHisPzXTacqD58yp7GOypbNQw2w41eV_9jgywGPTLWTo8bv2YhVsy_xGLcOZmG9EWvH9y0i58VHZGNb-aFv38yr9aFTSc-3-_9cbXXNCtDe12-2mhSEOznU9xt5YpUdYYugkzAN-7leDA/s700/Parable%20of%20the%20Talents%20Icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="700" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_A-1cQXbUzN_pbxY5cF0TKdeh5kcrCTZ6YTkqKeiSSsHisPzXTacqD58yp7GOypbNQw2w41eV_9jgywGPTLWTo8bv2YhVsy_xGLcOZmG9EWvH9y0i58VHZGNb-aFv38yr9aFTSc-3-_9cbXXNCtDe12-2mhSEOznU9xt5YpUdYYugkzAN-7leDA/w384-h298/Parable%20of%20the%20Talents%20Icon.jpg" width="384" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have
a question for you: What the heck is a talent?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We
hear the word all the time. In our culture, a talent isn’t money but a skill, perhaps
an aptitude that we cultivate, train, and use, like artistic or musical talent,
or a person with a talent (or head) for money. But that is not what Jesus is
talking about here.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So what
is a “talent?” Well, you know those billboards for the lottery… the ones that
have the size of the current jackpot in great big numbers. That’s a talent. If
you suddenly had in your hand enough money to equal the average annual salary
times twenty… that’s a talent. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So
imagine if you hit the jackpot. What would you do? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now
the servants in Jesus’ story did not hit the jackpot. They were people that the
master had come to trust, and in the story he entrusted them with what amounted
to a winning lottery ticket—with one proviso. Make it grow. Make it grow on my
behalf, he said. And then give it back.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine
if someone gave you a big pile of money and said to you, “I am going away now,”
you take this big pile of money and make it grow and when I come back I will
collect what you’ve made. What would you do? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The three
Servants in Jesus’ story had some things in common. For one thing, the master
trusted them all. He believed them to be responsible. And he thought he knew
them well enough to give them as much as they could handle, but not too much.
So the master must have thought the third servant had some skills, some gifts,
some ability—because even though he was given the smallest amount, it was not
chump change. He gave the guy twenty years of average daily wage to play with!
That would be about a million dollars in today’s money!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So if
you were in the position of any of these people in the story, what would you
do?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thinking
about that third Servants reminded me of a news story from a few years ago. It
came out of California where a person bought a house for himself and his young
family. The previous owner was an elderly man who had died, having outlived his
wife and whose grown children now lived far away. As the new owner began to
renovate his home, he found envelopes full of cash squirreled away in nooks and
crannies all over the house. Now wouldn’t that make for an interesting show on
HGTV?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Soon
these envelopes became a pile and that pile amounted to hundreds of thousands
of dollars. The old man didn’t trust the banks. He didn’t invest the money. He
kept the cash a secret so no one would steal it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hid them for the rainy day that never came.
His children said he lived in near poverty his whole while working every day he
could.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now
the new homeowners had a dilemma. His lawyers would have told him that all that
money was theirs to keep. The contract on the sale of the house said so…all the
contents of the house were theirs. But the couple knew that the man did not
save all that money to go to some stranger who happened to buy his house. No,
instead, they decided to give it back to the man’s children for them to use. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Heartwarming
story, but what made this man hide all his money in the first place? What made
him keep it a secret from even his children? What made him live as a pauper
while riches were only an arm’s reach away? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fear. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear and a kind of backwards faith that says
something bad is going to happen and is always just around the corner. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In today’s
Gospel, Matthew’s church is trying to figure out how to live in that very long,
uncertain time between the resurrection and Jesus’ return. They’ve remembered a
teaching of Jesus and applied it to their own church. They remembered Jesus
teaching us to never to bury or hide what we have been given. But here they
were, only fifty or sixty years into the history of the church and already had
developed a disturbing tendency to stand pat and let things work themselves
out. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Their
memory of Jesus’ story reminded them not to squander the bounty God has
showered on his people; and, most of all, to remember that Christ trusts us to
carry out his mission…to be Christ’s people, Christ’s representatives in the
world!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But
being trusted can be scary. We don’t want to disappoint. We don’t want to mess
up. We don’t want to lose what we’ve been given. And if that fear takes hold…if
that worry about what <i>might</i> happen becomes front and center…if thinking
about potential disapproval or judgment takes hold of our hearts…then we become
helpless. If we are overwhelmed by worry, we become afraid of risk or what’s
around the corner. Gosh! Who can blame the third servant for burying his
treasure in the garden and hunkering down? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That
is our challenge even today. We have so much that we love in the Church that we
want to hang on to. But changes comes so fast that we often don’t know how to
sort it out! We have so many responsibilities—there is so much Gospel work to
be done! —but find ourselves saying “what if?” We might be tempted to hunker
down, hide our gifts, become helpless.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pope John
XXIII, the Pope who convened the Second Vatican Council sixty years ago that
set not only the Roman Catholic Church but all Western Churches on the course
to meet a changing world, once said this about the Church: he said that we are
not the curators of a museum, but we are instead the cultivators of a flourishing
garden. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Gardening
is hard work and requires planning and preparation and attention, and you have
to get your hands dirty. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And
one other thing: gardens are for growing, not for burying our treasure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus’
parable says that the master trusted each servant with an amount in proportion
to their abilities. I believe we have all been given what we need and the place
to act on those gifts, and that God trusts us to use those gifts faithfully.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But we
get scared, which is why we tend to focus on that poor third servant in
Matthew’s Gospel and forget about the other two Servants who are complimented
for their work and welcomed into the joy of their master. What they receive is
not a promotion with a fat paycheck but something much more important. Their
faithfulness means that they enjoy a deeper relationship with God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So
what are your gifts? Are they something to be protected and hoarded? Or used
for God’s purpose?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If we
understand that everything that we’ve have, not just our money, but everything,
is a gift from God to be used for God’s purposes, then our whole outlook
changes!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
lesson here for the average friend and apprentice of Jesus is this: our money,
our stuff, our time, and our abilities, are our power for good! So receive what
God has given you with joy, and then use it—even it means some risk—in a way
that returns that blessing to God and to God’s people. Don’t stand pat—do
something big and audacious and risky and wonderful for God!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We
live in an uncertain time. We don’t know how the economy will unfold so we hang
on to everything we can. The temptation is to risk nothing and go for safety.
And I am not just talking about money here., but how we organize our living. If
we organize our living around what we are afraid of, we might hide from other
people, and not bring our best selves into our living. In short, we bury what
we’ve been given.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
antidote is to live joyfully in the blessings God has given us in Christ Jesus;
to use the abilities and resources God has given us to be God’s hands and feet
in the world; and to build on the blessings and assets we have to cultivate our
lives in service to God and to the world starting right here, right now. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In
Christ, we have been a given a gift beyond expectation or imagining. Now, comes
the fun part, using what we have for God’s purpose, God’s glory, for the good
of God’s people and God’s creation!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mWRmDOmwy5jxaRmjwaX2Wyk2LFVV6bbgQ_Y_z8YxLWeDtpqcTsSlUI-RZ9LrhW4yaWjJAuMatmoWHb6zoeSTIQhcLOHfwaXDb0H7viN5uB_oDitfZh4a-Rx1vqyAcVk6_JPXY4Hfi_-9j5Py-rDzAFGosTB5vcFlgZx9s9YTeeJ2pdPm-ikbJLKV8lASyCFnVz8NjqGtZ8cF6JNN-YNRudx_i4EDhbdV_mpkoagZ6pFQwUsUWEfERChDayKfis7CFjyrIU8ySQq_1esHSk26kkBMkkhE6Vwv&c=sQrFQ6C7SUZRDDRJdRwL28ZTY-15BqcyDdgZeWbyjWGyFw-aGAGN5g==&ch=AaYBZLIetmdsTsYzXOFLdcTdZ8fh2_KVjFUqmP4EfTN4JYjLVGSQwg==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uZC9WYYHzsUb52mjIxYbg6tG3ZwVWVOzTcMhvi59c_37rkxz1DXJzu4iLXT09wmNQcwCk-kNLOAtDQEWmfmyyvIWkgPTdYcVCTTUV-agFoe3Ni9wqLtsJltp7ph05ZcMfHKJuTVxO5L0OVoblC24VkIOwHcywdCQ6c3FV0r-VZhMdMTm1bXTCkPvRgSZOvJjDROKreCd6yme0B0Ge9HDsXCY2fCrux4E7lLXPiZwravBd1QKJy5m3pl1zPOY7j3RrZpAiSRegOy_kNhJIAC3txrEHEF4HM6s&c=9NKzD9o8Hdj-McZc1DgdOQW4WbG2DmTlIp8AZzTtaxhRD4LUSm514A==&ch=CP8sITBKh2UWCMVLXmGRjwWg8Q2eQ_qZWNqRk_RoCk34pW9svAsc5w==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">,</a></span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>November 19, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp28_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, November 19, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 19, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 19, 2023.</div></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-5313536230591850562023-11-11T20:23:00.001-05:002023-11-11T20:37:28.976-05:00Learning to love the wait<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF57qE_9By4Ig1iqUSE7QPrZXYhnyOCi6ZoO6G3GotBm4Aup7ZUocvK9p3pj6pWt1hLhqM-bq6FlDqg346UdKxjEM0bu6cvoqC3MKhm7gua_LkvJtqbkPuhz82O03RZfTnNwafp40dnbbMYVIIl-SQ7H6iX9FgtvNpSNJnFg4pYzXeSfnZnnTX2Q/s1600/Parable%20for%20the%20Wise%20and%20Foolish%20Bridesmaids.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF57qE_9By4Ig1iqUSE7QPrZXYhnyOCi6ZoO6G3GotBm4Aup7ZUocvK9p3pj6pWt1hLhqM-bq6FlDqg346UdKxjEM0bu6cvoqC3MKhm7gua_LkvJtqbkPuhz82O03RZfTnNwafp40dnbbMYVIIl-SQ7H6iX9FgtvNpSNJnFg4pYzXeSfnZnnTX2Q/w371-h272/Parable%20for%20the%20Wise%20and%20Foolish%20Bridesmaids.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I hate to wait. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">None of us likes to wait. Modern culture
demands immediacy. Whatever we want, we want it now. I have become so
accustomed to immediacy, that I get frustrated when it takes a picture on my
phone to materialize in five seconds and not in one. Never mind that I hold in
my hand more computing power than was used on the Voyager probe that passed by
Jupiter and Saturn on its way to the cosmos. I want what I want when I want it
and I want it right now.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">I get impatient to get what I want, even though Acme (whoops!)
<i>Amazon, </i>not to mention the Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS, all get
things right to my doorstep, often the day after (sometimes the same day!) as
when I ordered it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeBILYbUWwtIDz_AKyExJtblt1wvpXxX-Wr-O7NwPKofF5NVpmezolwEmuG9jPDBTIXIaC4YahyqCSv4iJp3yY6bKtSfP6sGthB6dtCZARnvKZtlrK-QasL1v7NosakdxPAW5O56voJ_lGJbZhn449WPy-wSQZrFhZQRLYNCzcDNEB1fu9sFeaQ/s300/Wile%20E%20Coyote%20Acme%20Catalog.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="300" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeBILYbUWwtIDz_AKyExJtblt1wvpXxX-Wr-O7NwPKofF5NVpmezolwEmuG9jPDBTIXIaC4YahyqCSv4iJp3yY6bKtSfP6sGthB6dtCZARnvKZtlrK-QasL1v7NosakdxPAW5O56voJ_lGJbZhn449WPy-wSQZrFhZQRLYNCzcDNEB1fu9sFeaQ/s1600/Wile%20E%20Coyote%20Acme%20Catalog.webp" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Father Anthony De Mello is a Jesuit priest, psychologist and
retreat leader who teaches that the main task of the spiritual life is to wake
up. Despite our over-stimulation with electronic devices, addictions to the
Internet and social media, and our endless quest for the newest, the best and
the most, we tend to make our way through life sleepwalking. Like the person
who walks down the sidewalk (or worse while driving down US 19!) while texting
on the phone, we go through life somehow unaware of the spiritual dimension of
our lives. Like all of the bridesmaids in Jesus’ story in the Gospel of Matthew,
we let that part of our life wait. There will be time for that later, we say to
ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus teaches us in the Gospel to both “wake up” and “be
ready!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Since we now know that we can grow our brains to develop new
habits and awareness, what will be the spiritual equivalent of filling our
lamps with oil and trimming our wicks?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Let’s first address wick trimming, since lamps and candles
burn slower when we regularly trim the wick. It is similar with fruit trees –
they produce more fruit when we do the work of pruning. Jesus is always
extolling the value of doing the upfront work so that we can reap the dividends
more easily when the fruit comes in. So trimming and pruning our lives,
reducing the amount of distractions, would seem to be the No. 1 lesson for
those of us who aspire to be in Christ’s wedding party when he comes. The
paradox is that doing less can also help us to awaken to the presence of the
Spirit in every breath we take. Doing less can help us to wake up and stay
awake for the presence of Christ here and now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">As to filling our lamps with oil, doing less points us in
the right direction. For it turns out that another way to encourage and promote
neuroplasticity is to do nothing – not just less, but nothing. All religious
traditions have some form of mindfulness meditation, centering prayer and
contemplation as a religious or spiritual practice. Sadly, it is rarely found
in church, where we tend to relentlessly work our way through the liturgy
without pause so we can get to the end. And then what? Enjoy </span><span style="font-family: arial;">“the 8th sacrament”, aka</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> coffee hour? Or go watch the ball game?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Archbishop William Temple said, “The source of humility is
the habit of realizing the presence of God.” He encouraged us to develop the
open, imaginative, and receptive side our brains and spirituality that looks
for God at work, sees and seeks connections, and enjoys the holiness of the
present moment. Contemplative prayer or mindfulness meditation helps us to
create what some call an empty space within, but which I call an “open” space. A
space open for God, open for the holy. This has two immediate benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another spiritual guide, Orthodox Archbishop Anthony Bloom encourages us to find God right here, right now, in every day life, even in the most mundane routine or seemingly rote activity. encouraging us to find God, who always seeking us, in the here and now, because as he said "if we cannot find God where we are, we will never find God at all."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Through our prayer and meditation and sacramental living, God’s Spirit has a point of
entry into our otherwise busy and sleepwalking lives. Once we prepare a place </span><span style="font-family: arial;">within</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, however small, however tentative, for God to dwell within us, we become more aware and awake to the
fact that God has been and is always with us. That God is never absent from us. When we begin to see this, we begin to recognize that the work of
spiritual growth is, in fact, no work at all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">But wait, (<i>ahem</i>)! There’s more!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Also, as it turns out, letting the brain rest promotes
neuroplasticity. And our prayer can help us develop that plasticity. And we enter into and emerge from our prayer or meditation, we are made new,
re-wired and more aware of not only who we are but whose we are. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We discover that God has always been at home in us. The German
theologian Meister Eckhart is quoted as saying, “God is at home. It is we who
have gone out for a walk.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">So what are we waiting for? Are we to spend our time like
those bridesmaids, waiting for Christ to come? Or are we to heed our Lord’s final
imperative in the story: Keep awake!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The parables that we’ll hear the today and the next two
weeks are tricky. Like today’s. And how w</span><span style="font-family: arial;">e tend to treat them as doctrinal treatises or allegories,
assigning parts to each character in the story doesn't help. We find ourselves saying "The unwise bridesmaids
represent this or that group, the wise ones who were ready represent someone
else… maybe our side, our church, our way of being or doing prayer and worship!"</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">But what if Jesus meant to simply shock us with details such
as closing the door on the foolish ones only to deliver the real message: Keep
awake! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">One suspects Jesus really did not want us spending hours of Bible study
dithering over questions such as “How could Jesus do that? Why would he close
the door on anyone?” when we already know the answer is that he closed the door
on no one. Not prostitute, not tax collector, not sinner. His door is always
open. The disciples to whom this little tale is told knew that and have
witnessed it every day. And like them, we ought to be those who recognize that
what seems like his coming again is simply the process of our awakening to the very real Good
News of Jesus, that he is with us always even to the end of the age. No waiting
required! He is here! Forever and always. We might even say forever and <i>in </i>all
ways!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">What is Jesus calling us to do? He is calling us to wake up and keep awake!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">And the best way to be awake to God is to rest in Jesus. The time and effort put into doing less and doing nothing
will awaken us to the clever truth buried deep within this tale of lamps and
oil and bridesmaids: He is here. His door is open to all at all times of day
and night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">But we have a choice, we can use our energy and time and attention -- our oil! -- for other, frivilous things, or we can use that oil-- our energy, time, and attention-- for God's purposes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">When we wake up to this truth all things are being made new
– including most importantly ourselves! —all the time, in ways that often
surprise us, we discover that God is making us ready for something new and
inviting to participate in that re-making. The first step in accepting that
invitation? Be awake to the work of God in our lives!</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VYRv7mpB1epg7F8OSJpHtae5qN7gm1aziP8S7uu2IZm6uQo24ncJVQ5iTeCIT2vqkN_xwB2Z12Lw88k8okN7HldRHHxkfy5cpB4rl57XWeS6iXUiqsUHI9hvfYYBuzsXYY6EcaO-k0h2lThwmHwBgjC2t9RbaCOVENs55-BtakfjQIN7fCleHGi2_xV2_EK42D0zEhT67LzwflV1wYFhTtSAxJdFqc9M3le-VuIlNXML1TfsVFckcQEkWzsObZFU9q0b5Xg7HvS5xlz1-l7WhcE0SwtnDU1A&c=TFVnt0yjsrSjrYs4w2IHRgpjE7gey3aTVzO-DU-bLJT4ehixvETVJg==&ch=u2Jos-sJBzksIN2Ae7fwTRm4rDVo_ODIx4C_QJNjiI9FwWOt_b5ZgQ==" target="_blank"><b style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;">Bulletin</b><span style="color: #221199;"> for Worship for the</span> 24th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uZC9WYYHzsUb52mjIxYbg6tG3ZwVWVOzTcMhvi59c_37rkxz1DXJzu4iLXT09wmNQcwCk-kNLOAtDQEWmfmyyvIWkgPTdYcVCTTUV-agFoe3Ni9wqLtsJltp7ph05ZcMfHKJuTVxO5L0OVoblC24VkIOwHcywdCQ6c3FV0r-VZhMdMTm1bXTCkPvRgSZOvJjDROKreCd6yme0B0Ge9HDsXCY2fCrux4E7lLXPiZwravBd1QKJy5m3pl1zPOY7j3RrZpAiSRegOy_kNhJIAC3txrEHEF4HM6s&c=9NKzD9o8Hdj-McZc1DgdOQW4WbG2DmTlIp8AZzTtaxhRD4LUSm514A==&ch=CP8sITBKh2UWCMVLXmGRjwWg8Q2eQ_qZWNqRk_RoCk34pW9svAsc5w==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">,</a></span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>November 12, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp27_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost, November 12, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 12, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 12, 2023.</div></span></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-86069674501843584922023-11-04T22:58:00.001-04:002023-11-04T22:58:47.766-04:00Having what it takes<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuf1oXijwJDNKJtNIw2M5RZc7Ovz-Si_Q0QhKoozxW3IdnkjRGgkpIVqF7WHTAB8SzC9cp8dzHd9RRaAkxC1A2DYM8SccLIubb-lpC1ebSbmkzR6WXVJe7tfW1lXCTakFERTmhAIvk3DB5McxF1ow2RWNMNanMTqIFsBB1FCg-Ne_QOfOmEWe96Q/s650/Dancing%20Saints%20-%20St%20Gregory%20of%20Nyssa%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="650" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuf1oXijwJDNKJtNIw2M5RZc7Ovz-Si_Q0QhKoozxW3IdnkjRGgkpIVqF7WHTAB8SzC9cp8dzHd9RRaAkxC1A2DYM8SccLIubb-lpC1ebSbmkzR6WXVJe7tfW1lXCTakFERTmhAIvk3DB5McxF1ow2RWNMNanMTqIFsBB1FCg-Ne_QOfOmEWe96Q/w462-h215/Dancing%20Saints%20-%20St%20Gregory%20of%20Nyssa%20(2).jpg" width="462" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Do
you think you are good enough to be one God’s saints? Do you think you have
what it takes?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What
a strange question! Saints are really holy people, right? Only special people,
who meet strict criteria get to be called saints, right? We pray to Saints, we
name churches for them. Sometimes cities, or colleges or hospitals. Right now,
we are surrounded by idealized images of saints in the stained glass that adorn
this church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You
know what? The word “saint” appears in the New Testament 62 times and that the
Apostle Paul used the term 44 times and not one of them refers to a hospital or
college? In the New Testament, every follower of Jesus is a Saint, or in Greek
"<i>hagios</i>", one of the holy
ones. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yes,
that’s right. You are one of God's saints. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So
what makes a saint a saint? St. Paul says Baptism is the mark of sainthood. The
writer of the Revelation to John has a heavenly vision. He wrote, "I heard
a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among
mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself
will be with them;"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We
are called “saints” because of God's continuing incarnate presence among his
people through Jesus Christ and in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; it is God
who is intimately and fully holy, it is God who came in the flesh, who not only
lived and walked among us and still dwells in the midst of His people. That
presence permeates the entire community of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry once reminded us when he said,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">God came among us in the
person of Jesus of Nazareth to change the world, to change it from the
nightmare it often can be into the dream that God intends. He came to change
the world, and we have been baptized into the Triune God and summoned to be
disciples and followers of this Jesus and to participate in God’s work, God’s
mission of changing and transforming this world. We are the Jesus Movement now….<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">…We are part of the Jesus
Movement, and he has summoned us to make disciples and followers of all nations
and transform this world by the power of the Good News, the gospel of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What
makes God's people holy is His presence in and with us. It’s not our behavior,
which, we must admit, is often less than perfect, that makes us saints but it
is our living identity as Jesus’ people that makes us saints. There are many
examples of people transformed by the love of Jesus. One well known story is
about the Rev. John Newton who former slave ship captain who became an ardent
abolitionist and an Anglican priest. He wrote the famous hymn “Amazing Grace”
in 1764, that describes the truth that it is God's gracious presence in the
midst of His humanity that makes sainthood possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Amazing grace! how sweet
the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was
blind but now I see." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With
God's loving grace we can grow to be the people God made us to be…to live into
the sainthood we have been adopted into!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In
the second half of today’s reading from Revelation, God's voice thunders from
heaven, "See, I am making all things new." God is making a promise to
us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I
think I’ve told you before about how, when I was in high school and college, I
experienced two movements that was sweeping the churches: the Jesus Movement,
and in particular the movement that swept through the Episcopal Church (and
many other churches). People who were once part of a church known as “God’s
Frozen Chosen” were experiencing the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including but
not limited to speaking in tongues, and ecstatic prayer. Well, this was new to
me and I loved going to those churches and prayer meetings and I learned so
much from them. But the truth is that I made a rotten charismatic… and still
do! I am just too tightly wound, I guess! The truth is that the only time I’ll
ever pray with my hands up will probably be during a bank robbery.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I
used to feel guilty about this, thinking that I wasn’t holy enough or that
somehow I was closing out the Holy Spirit. But a wise woman reassured me that
it was okay…that God was not finished with me yet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We
live in a world that often advertises promises of perfection, but the fact is
that saintliness is much less about perfection and much more about
transformation. We who are God's saints are saints both by grace and by choice.
We followers, friends, and apprentices of Jesus are constantly learning how to
follow Jesus as we do the work of God, as we allow the holy presence of God be
a transforming influence in our life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One
of the things I have discovered over the years about how to learn and do the
work of Jesus is to let go of our outsized expectations of perfection. Sure
there are skills to learn: how to pray, how to read scripture, how to listen to
others, and how to form holy habits. At the same time, we are also called to
have an open and ready heart. And that comes from learning to improvise, punt, to
live with limitations. All these teach us that sainthood is not about
externals, piety, or looking good. Sainthood comes with baptism, and how we
live it by learning and doing the work of Jesu<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I
remember a children’s sermon I heard as a kid, and I’ve repeated this image a
few times in this parish. In the sermon, the priest pointed to all the
wonderful stained glass windows that were in that church (here you have
wonderful etched windows but the image still holds….). What was said in that
children’s sermon is that we, you and me, are all like these windows: we are
people through whom the light shines.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When
I was in Seminary, I remember hearing Dr. James Fenhagen, the late Dean of
General Seminary, speak about the Church in American culture. He said that
modern Christians tended to have hard crusty exteriors but soft inner cores.
The problem is God call us to have a solid core, grounded in Scripture,
tradition, and reason, and a soft exterior, a heart for all God’s people. As
baptized said, we build that solid core by being disciplines who engage in prayer,
the study of Scripture, spiritual direction, and sacramental living, which shapes
into who and what we are, deep in our souls. All this helps us to have a
genuinely compassionate, welcoming, and embracing faith that expresses God’s
love and care to the people God gives us every day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember
that famous old English hymn, "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God?"
The last verse brings home the point<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They
lived not only in ages past,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">there
are hundreds of thousands still,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">the
world is bright with the joyous saints<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">who
love to do Jesus' will.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You
can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">in
church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">for
the saints of God are just folk like me,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and I mean to be one
too."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial;">I have to confess I am not there yet but, as that wise woman reminded me
long ago, we are on the way. Being a saint is a being a person of hope… hope is
faith that looks forward. And the saints of God who surround us in a fellowship
of love and prayer tells us that we are not along in the journey. God isn't
finished with us yet. And, yes, you do have what it takes! God is making all
things new, even people like me and like you.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015jyZTnTpzVa3_SHXcfMxxWd3-t36MuxJU-o_VvqXzKwB3a1nwKQzUITUyFIcwV38byW8xXRImXVpYfGRBl9RZYXLvJ5atP30XspNDFSlckFnpR-J0UAd8o_gVROXChrinLYUl-QImdVsyIqpy0s3BmUX9tPr6wA3YmZtFIAYS3nGF9y9691AU-SO79oukV1hv-6OjQCNVYz9N1QZQ6FpACh4KyoCeXL-CYm9z1LdF2VFE9laaxRaf3jLNOw0SflqJwXS28y-2bcqm05XaCoJukz0MZr1oVoV&c=SnYWs-X5GDl8MyUPXyzdIhmD8hwyj82QMMnh1aXgJRi4em41MYqeVQ==&ch=z2AngpOt2HoV60EWpJvI7CAZWLXA-6x2jbiU9uR4wuRqAVtV8CBxFg==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the Sunday after All Saints</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uZC9WYYHzsUb52mjIxYbg6tG3ZwVWVOzTcMhvi59c_37rkxz1DXJzu4iLXT09wmNQcwCk-kNLOAtDQEWmfmyyvIWkgPTdYcVCTTUV-agFoe3Ni9wqLtsJltp7ph05ZcMfHKJuTVxO5L0OVoblC24VkIOwHcywdCQ6c3FV0r-VZhMdMTm1bXTCkPvRgSZOvJjDROKreCd6yme0B0Ge9HDsXCY2fCrux4E7lLXPiZwravBd1QKJy5m3pl1zPOY7j3RrZpAiSRegOy_kNhJIAC3txrEHEF4HM6s&c=9NKzD9o8Hdj-McZc1DgdOQW4WbG2DmTlIp8AZzTtaxhRD4LUSm514A==&ch=CP8sITBKh2UWCMVLXmGRjwWg8Q2eQ_qZWNqRk_RoCk34pW9svAsc5w==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">,</a></span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>November 5, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/HolyDays/AAllSaints_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the Sunday after All Saints, November 5, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 5, 2023.</div><div><a href="https://youtube.com/live/Am8WFbNqLAs?feature=share" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><br /></a></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on November 5, 2023.</div></span></div></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-39543463345448635072023-10-28T22:18:00.003-04:002023-10-28T22:26:16.071-04:00Stumping Jesus or Stumped by Jesus?<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAu38LMdB8YKCR1NQkXj6iORB7AvsSRFPjAGca57AWgHkhY98sl9dKIOZXWF4f3NBiWGVwExyBlrLldxyY2_OATdCky-DoSqJKFtv7GyYJdqUF1n1mbxPJn8_avCFh3pEnq2KjD3Nm_Ubi8sMZ6KYbKP3Af_UOVBXkW_OlwuNm2EIEM7MhFZFtg/s304/Jesus%20teaching%20the%20crowd.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="297" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAu38LMdB8YKCR1NQkXj6iORB7AvsSRFPjAGca57AWgHkhY98sl9dKIOZXWF4f3NBiWGVwExyBlrLldxyY2_OATdCky-DoSqJKFtv7GyYJdqUF1n1mbxPJn8_avCFh3pEnq2KjD3Nm_Ubi8sMZ6KYbKP3Af_UOVBXkW_OlwuNm2EIEM7MhFZFtg/s1600/Jesus%20teaching%20the%20crowd.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you love game shows, like “Jeopardy” or “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” or,
if you listen to NPR’s “Wait! Wait! Don’t Tell Me!” on the radio, the questions
(or answers) are typically cleverly designed to stump the contestants. Part of
the fun is seeing how the contestants handle the challenge of the questions. Of
course, in the case of game shows, money, prizes, and lovely parting gifts all hang
in the balance. One of the things I like to do when I watch these shows, is to
see if I can answer the question quicker and better than the contestants.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">In today’s story from the Gospel of Matthew,
we see the religious leaders of Jesus’ day playing a game of “Who Can Stump the
Messiah?” It is played when each contestant takes turns asking Jesus clever,
even challenging questions, but instead of vying for prize, they are really
designed to trap Jesus into saying things that will get him into trouble.
Another name for the game is “Gotcha!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">And sometimes, I like to play along with Jesus, too!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Today, it’s the Pharisees’ turn to ask
the question. On previous turns, you’ll remember, the Pharisees quizzed Jesus about
whether or not people should pay taxes to Caesar. It was a question designed to
make Jesus lose no matter what he said or how fast he hit the buzzer. If he
said, “No, do not pay Caesar – rather, save your money for the real king” he
would immediately get arrested for advocating revolution against the Roman
Empire. If he said, “Yes, pay the taxes,” then he’d lose the respect of the
Jewish people. Jesus reframes the question.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Jesus stumped them instead by asking
them to fish out a coin with Caesar’s face on it, and he told them to give to
Caeser what was his, and to God what was due God. Ding! Jesus won that round!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">But not all the questions that we have,
especially the ones that we might want to ask Jesus, can be handled with a
simple buzzer, and rather than a glitzy prize, we may simply be seeing peace,
solace, or to make sense of whatever is happening in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">And many of the questions we have are
not asked because we want to stump Jesus, but because we ourselves are truly
stumped and flummoxed by what going on in our lives and in the world we live
in.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">There are certainly people who love to
ask unanswerable questions just to sound clever or to make God, the Bible, or
the church, or even ordinary faithful folk seem silly. I remember that very old
George Carlin routine where he talked about thinking up outrageous question to
stump the nuns in his Catholic school like “Can God make a rock so big that he
himself can’t lift it?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Generally, those kinds of questions
aren’t designed to enlighten or even to promote dialogue. They are meant to
make the questioner feel smug and superior by belittling the other person. They
are usually hiding a deeper pain, or are meant to distract us from the real
questions that are often left unsaid.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">But other questions come deep from
within us and speak to something inside longing for peace, for connection, for
hope, for purpose. These are the real questions we want to ask Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I remember a story told by the late
Rabbi Harold Kushner, who wrote the book <i>When Bad Things Happen to Good
People.”</i> It is about a mother who sent her son to the store to buy a loaf
of bread at the corner store for lunch. He didn’t come back for hours and
hours, and when he finally came home well after lunch, his frantic mother asked
the boy where he was. He said “I was helping my friend fix his bike.” But you
don’t know how to fix bikes, she replied. I know, said the boy, but I was
helping cry about it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes the answer to the question is
not an answer but simply a loving presence, a listening ear, and a caring
heart, given in the moment without strings or expectation of return. And this
comes to us from God, often in the form of a caring friend or companion, or in
the silence of prayer as we open ourselves up to God even in our most
vulnerable moments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">You may be thinking that some of your
questions might stump Jesus and still you want to challenge his authority like
those of old. Jesus understands your curiosity and is fully prepared to take on
all of the earthly challenges that can be thrown at him. Remember that this
loving Jesus is ever-present. Jesus hears your questions as well as your cries,
your temptations as well as your triumphs and disappointments. There is nothing
too challenging for God. God also challenges us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">This is the pattern that Jesus sets for
us in the Gospels. He teaches, yes, and he is ready to interact, even go a few
rounds with the skeptics he meets on the way. But the main thing that Jesus
does is to meet people, exactly at the point of their greatest need. That is
why Jesus can hear our questions not as challenges but as the inquiries of
search souls looking for guidance, solace, and connection. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">It is tempting to think of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees in the Gospels as people with a superficial faith who were
only trying to preserve their position and status. And there was certainly
enough of that going around, but what if they, like the disciples and the
others who followed Jesus, they were simply endeavoring to live as faithfully
as they knew how and were trying to figure out how Jesus fit into what God was
doing? What if they were like so many people whom we meet today… people who
want to believe deeply, and yet can’t get past the nagging questions that won’t
go away, including, among so many others: How does faith work when we have
science and technology? Why is there so much poverty and violence in a world
with so much to offer? Does faith matter? Whom does Jesus truly love? Am I
worthy of God’s love? And on and on and on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Jesus was faced with all kind of
questions: some heartfelt, some pesky. But at the heart of all Jesus’
interactions, and the heart of all his answers to all those inquiries was the
answer we heard today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Interestingly, Jesus’ answer to question
“what is the greatest commandment” was not an answer new to Jesus. He didn't invent it, but every
kid who ever learned Torah at their parent’s knee, or who ever went to
Synagogue, would have known the answer by heart: the greatest commandment to love God with
all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and the second is like it, love your
neighbor as yourself. As even our Prayer Book says (in Rite 1), there is no other
commandment greater than these. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">And that is why God is ready to hear our
questions no matter how basic or superficial sounding like whether or not you
should pay your taxes or whether or not you can be married to your brother’s
widow in the afterlife. Especially from us, Christ’s followers. Because as
baptized people, we are not expected to be “Mr. or Ms. Know It All” but we are
called to be followers, everyday disciples. We are, as baptized people, Jesus’
friends, students, and apprentices. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">As Jesus' friends and apprentices, we learn more and more,
that in asking and living the questions, we are discovering and exploring how to love God with every part of our being everyday, and how to love the people God brings to us as deeply and as humbly as we love God.</span><div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uZC9WYYHzsUb52mjIxYbg6tG3ZwVWVOzTcMhvi59c_37rkxz1DXJzu4iLXT09wmNQcwCk-kNLOAtDQEWmfmyyvIWkgPTdYcVCTTUV-agFoe3Ni9wqLtsJltp7ph05ZcMfHKJuTVxO5L0OVoblC24VkIOwHcywdCQ6c3FV0r-VZhMdMTm1bXTCkPvRgSZOvJjDROKreCd6yme0B0Ge9HDsXCY2fCrux4E7lLXPiZwravBd1QKJy5m3pl1zPOY7j3RrZpAiSRegOy_kNhJIAC3txrEHEF4HM6s&c=9NKzD9o8Hdj-McZc1DgdOQW4WbG2DmTlIp8AZzTtaxhRD4LUSm514A==&ch=CP8sITBKh2UWCMVLXmGRjwWg8Q2eQ_qZWNqRk_RoCk34pW9svAsc5w==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001uZC9WYYHzsUb52mjIxYbg6tG3ZwVWVOzTcMhvi59c_37rkxz1DXJzu4iLXT09wmNQcwCk-kNLOAtDQEWmfmyyvIWkgPTdYcVCTTUV-agFoe3Ni9wqLtsJltp7ph05ZcMfHKJuTVxO5L0OVoblC24VkIOwHcywdCQ6c3FV0r-VZhMdMTm1bXTCkPvRgSZOvJjDROKreCd6yme0B0Ge9HDsXCY2fCrux4E7lLXPiZwravBd1QKJy5m3pl1zPOY7j3RrZpAiSRegOy_kNhJIAC3txrEHEF4HM6s&c=9NKzD9o8Hdj-McZc1DgdOQW4WbG2DmTlIp8AZzTtaxhRD4LUSm514A==&ch=CP8sITBKh2UWCMVLXmGRjwWg8Q2eQ_qZWNqRk_RoCk34pW9svAsc5w==" target="_blank">,</a></span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" target="_blank"><span style="color: #221199;"> </span></a>October 29, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp25_RCL.html" style="color: #221199;" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost, October 29, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on October 29, 2023.</div><div><a href="https://youtube.com/live/Am8WFbNqLAs?feature=share" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><br /></a></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on October 29, 2023.</div></span></div></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-69949697774263264302023-10-14T12:00:00.012-04:002023-10-14T12:00:00.255-04:00Dressing for the Banquet<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmQcOsOv6Ut1V4wSPJ1rJjiXBlSuzKeeLtUgXpUGz4hZuiT2pDf7EUT3MNkGVWo_yOQO5g4WE31JZKryep5BePOlHKvsh8tlp0PvhYjUlmx8dZ6sc4TOS0rmU5efR0l3lhlrSs8f1csTf0ER-MjlopvdHRP3mdr1waVGWZazD7hMXQyvFsxPYZw/s500/Matt%2022.1-14.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="500" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmQcOsOv6Ut1V4wSPJ1rJjiXBlSuzKeeLtUgXpUGz4hZuiT2pDf7EUT3MNkGVWo_yOQO5g4WE31JZKryep5BePOlHKvsh8tlp0PvhYjUlmx8dZ6sc4TOS0rmU5efR0l3lhlrSs8f1csTf0ER-MjlopvdHRP3mdr1waVGWZazD7hMXQyvFsxPYZw/w401-h257/Matt%2022.1-14.jpg" width="401" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you want to understand how we
got much of what is in the Bible, think of the party game "Telephone." You know, the
one where people sit in a circle, and someone tells a story… whispering it in
their neighbor’s ear, who repeats it to their neighbor, and so on around the
circle until it comes back to the first person. The fun is hearing how the heart
of the original story gets garbled and changed as it moved around the circle.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Knowing that, we can maybe relax a bit after
hearing today’s dramatic… and violent!... parable!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Understand that Jesus’ story is
here being remembered by Matthew and his church after having been remembered by
the people who heard Jesus, and the people who heard people who heard Jesus,
and the people who heard the people who heard the people who heard Jesus, and… you
get the idea! I suspect that Jesus’ original parable about how God’s covenant is for everyone
has, through a first century version of the game Telephone, become something quite
(well… how do I say this nicely?) weird!
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It might have been easier if we did as some have attempted and just cut out the weird, jarring, far-out, or disturbing parts of the Bible. The problem is that, as strange as this is, it's still Scripture. It may feel like a game of Telephone, but the Holy Spirit is still part of the process. So now what?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I think it is helpful to recall that during the time between
Jesus’ teaching and Matthew writing it down, the early church was bogged down
in an argument. Even though God has expanded the Covenant to include all kinds
of people—varieties of Jews and a myriad of Gentiles are all now members of this
new Christian movement, they are beginning to repeat the same mistakes that Jesus
tried to fix. The weirdness of this passage partially reflects the pinch these early Christian communities felt. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Come with me as we walk through
this passage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine that you were lucky
enough to get an invitation to the Coronation of King Charles III last spring.
You would have received a card that might have read “the Lord Chamberlain has <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">been ‘commanded </span>by the King’ to
invite the holder to the Coronation at Westminster Abbey at 11 a.m. on May 6 in the Year of Our Lord 2023,” or something like that. And notice that the King
would not have enticed you with the nice buffet afterwards. Would you have said
“no?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, that’s exactly what happens
in Jesus’ story in Matthew’s Gospel today. The king really wants these people
to come, but they could not have cared less! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are not interested in the food, and they
don’t want to dress up. Not only that, some are also so annoyed, so bothered by
the invitation that they berate, beat, and sometimes even <i>kill</i> the
messengers! This is an <i>outrageously</i> weird story!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Okay, but it’s weird on purpose.
Imagine that what we have here is really <i>The History of God’s Salvation…For Dummies!
</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was written by and for Matthew’s
church a few decades after Jesus may have said something kind of similar. I think that the parable that Jesus originally spoke might have sounded something like this: “God invited people to something great, to be God’s people and a light
to the world. Only people didn’t respond as expected. So now God has invited <i>everyone</i>—not
just one people or one nation or one group, <i>everyone</i>! —into the reign of God, and
the promise of God's reign has been extended to the ones who have accepted the invitation.”
Or something like that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Along the way, someone added on to the original parable the part about the king who killed the party-poopers and
destroyed their city. Why? To tickle the
ears of Matthew’s church and invite them to think about how Jerusalem was
destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 AD, and with it the end of Temple-based
Judaism, and also how the Roman city of Pompei, the most cosmopolitan, artsy, and secular city in the Empire, was wiped out when Mount Vesuvius
blew its top soon thereafter. To drive home the point that “Shape up and fly right! God is not fooling around!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But wait! There's more! You know those
servants who were sent out to bring in everyone, both the good and the bad? They
would remind those Early Christians of what we would call—from the last chapter
of Matthew—the Great Commission, where Jesus tells us to “Go into all the
world, baptize and teach!” So the Christians in Matthew’s church would have
understood that God has sent Jesus Christ, who lived and died and rose again,
and empowered the Church to go into all the world. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">End of story, right? "<i>They"</i>
are out. "<i>We"</i> are in. Hooray for us! Let the party begin!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not so fast, sports fans! You may
have been invited off the street without warning, but are you dressed for the
party? The real sour note of this story </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(for us anyway)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> is the part about the guest who has been
hauled in from the street and then is suddenly thrown into the eternal cosmic
dumpster fire. Why? For not having the right party clothes handy! What’s up with that? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Preachers have been trying to wiggle out of this for generations, with some commentators saying some malarky like "well, hosts kept party garments ready for guests and these jokers just didn't put them on" or some such silliness. [Sigh!] All that does is disguise the fact that this part makes us squirm. They don't want Jesus to sound so, well, mean! And I get it! We
love the welcome part of the first part of the story, even with the special
effects, but the “where’s your wedding gown?” part…? Not so much!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, it <i>is</i> very weird and I think it's <i>meant</i> to be weird-- but for a reason! I suspect Matthew's church heard and understood why it was weird... otherwise they would not have kept the story in their Gospel! The problem is that we are not in on the joke.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Or are we?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When I hear about the wedding garment, I think about a very old tradition that
many Christian churches do when someone is baptized -- even today! The candidates
(even babies) have their old clothes removed and after they are baptized from
head to toe, they put on new clothes. The newly baptized are dressed in a brand-new
white party suit!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, I wonder if the wedding
garment in Matthew’s Gospel might not point to this new clean white baptismal garment
that would have been well known in the early church? I don’t know. In any
event, I think that the Gospel is telling us that we are not party crashers
but invited guests!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, how <i>do</i> we dress for
the party?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Today’s Epistle to the Philippians
suggests an answer. Paul wrote this letter from prison. And he urges his friends
to be reconciled, calling on his companions in Christ to rejoice and to stop
worrying. He says, “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things” he is not just saying have a positive attitude, he is
saying "put on Christ" -- like that baptismal garment! What we choose to wear outside does affect how we are
inside, and how we are inside shows up outside. We have a choice. If we choose
to be faithful, to come to the party, we also choose how we are, the kind of
garment we put on. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like a teenager trying to find
just the right outfit for the big night out, we might find ourselves trying on
several new outfits over the course of our lifetime and our life in Christ.
Putting on the “wedding garment” is a life-long process. It is a process that
includes intentional prayer, intentional stewardship, intentional service, and
intentional worship. As Christians grow and mature, as faith becomes more and
more woven into our being, we develop new holy habits of sacramental living, reading,
and learning scripture, discovering the skills of prayer, and the joy of
generosity. As we do this, we find that we have, in fact, put on—and are
putting on every day—the wedding garment! Every day, we are more and more
dressed for the party!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thinking about the wedding
garment reminds me of a poem by the 17<sup>th</sup> Century Anglican priest
George Herbert. He wrote this poem just before or just after the King James
Bible was first published 400+ years ago. He describes the ritual of a priest
putting on his vestments in the quiet of the sacristy before a celebration of
Holy Communion. But he is also talking about every Christian who in faith and
baptism has not only accepted God’s invitation to new life in Christ but has also
chosen day by day to put on the wedding garment. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44356/aaron" target="_blank">The poem is called “Aaron.”</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Aaron</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Holiness on the head,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Light and perfections on the breast,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Harmonious bells below, raising the dead<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">To lead them unto life and rest:<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Thus are true Aarons drest.</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Profaneness in my head,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Defects and darkness in my breast,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">A noise of passions ringing me for dead<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Unto a place where is no rest:<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Poor priest, thus am I drest.</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Only another head<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">I have, another heart and breast,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Another music, making live, not dead,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Without whom I could have no rest:<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">In him I am well drest.</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Christ is my only head,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">My alone-only heart and breast,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">My only music, striking me ev'n dead,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">That to the old man I may rest,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">And be in him new-drest.</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">So, holy in my head,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Perfect and light in my dear breast,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">My doctrine tun'd by Christ (who is not dead,<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">But lives in me while I do rest),<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Come people; Aaron's drest.</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y5cICHX4FAeWxLBaXrWLZly5cg4SdjcMtW5Tr16phrEoX-zu079zR37dOBcoUQHRP9dsaPpjWiT5dX3HQtkLFdrcUf3xobkNroGnsjPXIla0x2niqVqUy_L_pN-25AIeZNd8XdVVShexG0ZuCV6jIzGj3JVcA0BqDEcVaGBYk2fE6ofJPf2rHyOlNdofahfNEb4H6xmmMrOcSuOO6IZvaj8_nS_0YPLk6pwJFUUCflWWyV4X9No2wQTCzZCpJpFL13Ti_qXcYP44h4RSENA47nabg7YPTyb8&c=GD3iOIaXuJO2WbPcvvFL4ddbvkTfdlgdqFqNFslBlTMGoA0u4cNJHw==&ch=umJE_70Nl_B7XL2blxR43tiUWmzw-lc_BE-fHDfh9C-wwsResqnc9Q==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">,</span> </a>October 15, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe; text-decoration-line: none;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span>.</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: start;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp23_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span> for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, October 15, 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on October 15, 2023.</div><div><a href="https://youtube.com/live/Am8WFbNqLAs?feature=share" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><br /></a></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on October 15, 2023.</div></span></div></div><p>
<br /></p>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-27578991236886455242023-09-30T08:50:00.025-04:002023-10-14T22:00:26.438-04:00Turning around<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrCGKrkASe42zu8I3vhUopuSCvpPF-Fds_lGbs54rB9GOE8pMvmQYFbjLWz_OelwwaG1xYMB2RG1LiXrgb6zx2S1jgaH-pQoCdLDWdaiLPoTHduPgjGkt9vPQ1ClXlqLx7O_a-ZdjpN65RVXQWa8h-HaIM3o-bVgI_44_89PJsMWV-3ET1JO73A/s710/two-sons-resized.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="710" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrCGKrkASe42zu8I3vhUopuSCvpPF-Fds_lGbs54rB9GOE8pMvmQYFbjLWz_OelwwaG1xYMB2RG1LiXrgb6zx2S1jgaH-pQoCdLDWdaiLPoTHduPgjGkt9vPQ1ClXlqLx7O_a-ZdjpN65RVXQWa8h-HaIM3o-bVgI_44_89PJsMWV-3ET1JO73A/w347-h166/two-sons-resized.png" width="347" /></a></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Once upon a
time a drunk man got on a bus and sat down next to a priest. The man's tie was
stained, his face was plastered with red lipstick, and a half-empty bottle of
gin was sticking out of his torn coat pocket. He opened his newspaper and began
reading.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">After a few
minutes the man turned to the priest and asked, 'Say Father, what causes
arthritis?'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The priest sniffs
and replies, 'My Son, it's caused by loose living, too much alcohol, contempt
for your fellow man, consorting with prostitutes, and lack of a bath.' <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The drunk
muttered in response, 'Well, I'll be darned,' Then returned to his paper.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The priest,
thinking about what he had said, nudged the man and apologized. 'I'm very
sorry. I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had arthritis?'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The drunk
answered, 'I don't have it, Father. I was just reading here that the Pope
does.'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Are you
shocked and surprised by sin? I must admit that sometimes I am. But if you think
about it, we shouldn’t be. You would think that, really, Christians should the
last ones to be shocked or scandalized by sin. I think that we should take in
stride the fact that sin happens. After all, the whole fellowship of the Church
is made up of people who either said “yes” to God but struggle with going their
own way, or who went their own way but came to their senses and come back to
God. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">In today’s
Gospel, Jesus tells a story about two sons who are asked by their father to go
out into vineyards to work. The first son says, "I will not!" but
later changes his mind and goes. The second son is the one who says he will go
but does not. Jesus then turns to his critics and asks which one of the two
does the will of the father? They, of course, say that it is the first son, in
the end, who does the will of the father. In their answer, the super-religious
show that what is really important is what a faithful person does, not just what
they say.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">A bishop and
teacher of the early church named Chrysostom wrote that the Christian is like
the son who at any hour turns and chooses to do the will of the father; to go out
into the vineyard and work. The Christian is the son who is the missionary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">But I think
there is a deeper message that Jesus is offering. While it is certainly true
that God wants us to go out into the world—the vineyard—and do God’s work, there
is something else going on here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Good
News is that it is never too late to follow Jesus and to do God’s work in the
vineyard. God will embrace the son who turns and chooses in the end, no matter
what they have been doing, to become a member of the community of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Today’s
Gospel story only appears in Matthew, but it reminds me of another one of Jesus’
stories, the one about the prodigal son that appears only in the Gospel of
Luke. In Luke’s Gospel, that son squandered everything and came home expecting
to grovel and scrape as a slave but instead is welcomed with open arms. Today, in
Matthew’s Gospel we hear of a son who at first says “no” but then turns around
choosing to <i><u>do</u></i> “yes.” He is a
prodigal, too. And he also comes to his senses. He decides to do the work he
was asked to do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">In both Gospels,
a son turns around. In both cases, repentance—turning around—shows that the
life of faith is as much an act of the will as is act of the heart. Living
faithfully is depends on the deliberate choice to live in concert with God—especially
when we don’t “feel like it.” To live faithfully is not just believing—or
saying we believe—the right things, it is choosing to act faithfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Faith it
turns out is not just an act of the heart, it is an act of the will. And that
means that we choose not only to believe but we choose how to act on those
beliefs. In fact, we soon learn that our faith is not faith until we choose to
act faithfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">But
sometimes we get nervous when someone who said “no” eventually says “yes” to
God and tries to walk a new way. We are not sure if we can believe it and we
have a hard time forgetting that original “no.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you
ever noticed all the buildings we have scattered about St. John’s? There is the
Christian Education building where our classrooms and offices are, and which
also houses our Thrift Store. Then there is the Parish Hall where we have
coffee hour, suppers, and our weekly Bible Studies. Then there is Good
Neighbors, where food is gathered from donors and sent out to food pantries and
feeding programs. And then there is “Thelma’s Place” where several 12-Step
Groups, in our case Narcotics Anonymous, meets almost every day. It's
remarkable to me how many people come and go from our church even though they
may never set foot in this sanctuary or crack open a Book of Common Prayer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">These are
people, especially in the NA groups, who are attempting one step at a time to
turn their lives around. Who are attempting after a lifetime of saying “no” are
finally say “yes” to God. When we say “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You” <i>this</i>
is what we mean!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sooner or
later, we all have to come to terms with the fact that all of us in word or
deed have said “no” to God somewhere along the way, and all of us have had to
come to our senses and choose to follow him anyway. When you get right down to
it, our stories are not so different after all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Don’t be
shocked by this: everyone sins. We are human. We know we promise that we will
strive to live faithfully, and we know that we will fail. In fact, in our
baptismal covenant we promise that "when" we sin we will "repent and return to the Lord." Christians know we are not perfect. At the same time, we Christians rejoice
when the sons and daughters of God who have led life unconscious of God, or who
have led lives saying "no" turn and join the other workers in the vineyard.
We, the church, exist for those who do not yet belong. We exist so that the
vineyard is there ready for the latecomer and for the newcomer who, at whatever
time of day, chooses to join in on God’s gracious harvest.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001QC6UGTq4gAD4yEqB2YPhK2qz_UNp3QxTLmGCZZiMo7E5iop20u15f5oMwvfU3_Y-txA3C-ONtQmyaAQJIw3_GyacKg6OuFLd-1P2eHY4fhDDnzqPtbJLeHNuEL0o4Jg2cIX-BEEvxQDBgkWQ0A7DiRQdzOU2vWm-R7lTG00fN3m26bfGV0Wc6bIA-2BVVsJBleWb9YkMJJpLIvd5w5aC0hU065jHjzp0PPBS8Al-VaBAA1FCQig2gjgTrqiuvQEUxQjmfrm_SDTnxAvTvAk8Q04Zy08HLiIE&c=488rtjWlmRf6iDceEJOCDLFI-ZBFCmDkCco3dSO9GgS6ErvOh-08Nw==&ch=aJGXz5A_gOiljmlC19DmkPUqGw1FvR8tHBDUuk2SKQmRMBHBQeoPVg==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">,</span> </a>September 24, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span></a>.</b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp20_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, October 1,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.6667px;"> 2023</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/870051099" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">October 1, 2023</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/Am8WFbNqLAs?feature=share" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/NBzrAOF5CoI?si=kpV6polgimeW63wM" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> (with announcements) </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on October 1, 2023.</span></div></span></div></span></span></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-27369992001791198572023-09-24T07:45:00.013-04:002023-09-25T20:59:28.322-04:00There's "getting in" and then there's "getting it"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxlIgdhT4pgEmz19pJSyG8NVBrkOpQUdblraFxSlyRHKeiucfH_HluaxqtNhiAfbBpM-2BV_Z5nwbPMhfQlRIlOsg5a2xRR46BD1MI4iSAOoWkDuN9IAU9Se_93_CgvZfY2BeYFtgBGZ1c6hzNYK4cSmfJtLGnRmTeRjSegvCSOf1p66l_glKow/s700/Parable_of_the_Workers_in_the_Vineyard%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="700" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxlIgdhT4pgEmz19pJSyG8NVBrkOpQUdblraFxSlyRHKeiucfH_HluaxqtNhiAfbBpM-2BV_Z5nwbPMhfQlRIlOsg5a2xRR46BD1MI4iSAOoWkDuN9IAU9Se_93_CgvZfY2BeYFtgBGZ1c6hzNYK4cSmfJtLGnRmTeRjSegvCSOf1p66l_glKow/s320/Parable_of_the_Workers_in_the_Vineyard%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Stop me if you’ve heard this one:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">A minister died and went to heaven. You know…the usual
picture: He is standing in a long line of potential saints waiting to be vetted
by St. Peter at the pearly gates. He looks ahead of him and sees a strange
assortment of people, in particular the guy right in front of him, a guy named
Mort, a New York taxi driver. He was short, unshaven, wearing a ball cap and a
stained t-shirt. He smoking a cigar and spoke very gruffly with words like
“Hey! Will ya hurry it up, up there?” and “I ain’t got all day!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The pastor thought, as a straightened the lapel on his black
clerical suit, this should be interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Mort finally got to the lectern, he was warmly greeted
by Saint Peter, who reached into an ornate jeweled box, and gave him a beautiful
white and golden robe, a jeweled crown, and with the words “Well done, good and
faithful servant!” he was led into heaven, choirs singing as he was ushered in.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Then the minister stepped up. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter looked the pastor up and down over the top of his
spectacles, with a “hmph.” Read over the list uttering a series of grunts and
clicking his tongue as he went. Sighing, he signals the pastor forward. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reaching into a cardboard box, he give the minister a
terrycloth bathrobe, a pair of worn out fuzzy slippers, and a paper crown from a burger joint. He was
then handed off to a tired old angel with a flashlight who played a tune on a kazoo and then just
looked at him with a grunt. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Hey!” the pastor protests. “What’s the deal? I am a priest
of the church! I preached the word of God and cared for the church! That …
guy!... ahead of me gets the crown, the white robe, and the scepter…, and… and
all I get is…is…this?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter looks up from his book, sighs, and says “Look, here in
heaven we look for results. When you preached, people slept. When Mort drove,
people prayed.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We all want life to be fair, especially to us. When we don’t
get what we think we deserve, we feel cheated and resent the unfairness, the
person getting what we wish we had, and the one giving out the prizes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The essence of Jesus’ teaching today is that God gives his
grace and favor equally. We learn that God welcomes those who are new to the
Church and those who have observed the rules, rites, and traditions for a long
time. This is never an easy lesson to hear: that the logic of country clubs,
concerts, and fine restaurants, is not God’s logic. The economy of grace is
different that the one we’ve grown up with.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus’ story was first directed to a Christian community
that was filled with Jewish Christians who carried with them both the covenant
of the patriarchs and prophets and also the new covenant in Jesus Christ. But
it was also a community filled with people who were new to the faith…recent
converts, many of them Gentile who were perhaps unfamiliar with the heritage
and lineage of Israel. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The early church had to cope with this. Much of the real
estate of the New Testament, particularly in Acts and in Paul’s letters, are
taken up with this question. Do the followers of Jesus who were also Jews,
members of the Original Covenant People, have a higher standing in the
community and before God than the new, Gentile, converts?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">In our day… which is better? Us “cradle Episcopalians” or
people from other traditions who’ve come to our church and tradition late in
the game? Or, even more, what about those folks who come to our church “just”
for the 12 step groups, or the feeding programs, or to the Thrift Store? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, when you put it <i>that </i>way… I suppose we have to
admit that the doors are open to everyone. And that God’s welcome and grace
extends to strangers, visitors, newcomers, and long-timers alike. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">And there is an ethical component to this as well. If we are
deciding who deserves or needs God’s grace and love more than others, then we
not only risk putting ourselves in the place of God, but we start to neglect
the health of our own souls and spirit as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">But there is still that nagging question of fairness. We
can’t shake it! We struggle with fairness in the workplace, at school, and in
our daily living. And we also struggle spiritually. Some religions have a
hierarchy of heaven depending on how good or well-behaved you are or believe
that what you are in this life depended on how good or bad you were in the
last. Some traditions, even some Christian ones, set up a kind of hierarchy of
grace that will determine how quickly one can get into heaven or if you’ll be
stuck in a cosmic waiting room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whatever. We can’t seem to get past the idea that God must love us in
proportion to our goodness. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">But Jesus has a different idea. He says that there is plenty
of work to around in the vineyard. And that it is all important work.
Furthermore, there is plenty of grace to go around, too. The vineyard is big
enough for all of us…long timers and newcomers both!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is a message of comfort and hope to the late comers.
So often I have heard people tell me that they wish they could pray, receive
the sacrament, have faith, but they tell me, often with a sad shake of the head
and a touch of resignation, that it is too late for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s never too late! What we learn from
Jesus today is that whether we come to faith and come the vineyard early in the
day or late, we are all called in and we all receive the same reward. It is not
too early and it is never too late for any of us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">And there is a calling to and a message for
long-timers:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God wants all of us to
share in his bounty, to apart of the family of God and community of Christ’s
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while we are tempted to
think of ourselves as more deserving or more worthy because of time served,
that is not the point. The vineyard, God’s kingdom, is for everyone. Those of
us who have been at this for longer than others have a job, and that is to help
invite people into the vineyard before the day is done, give support and help
to those who are new to the vineyard, and assist those who come after us, as
well as those who are old hands, to become proficient workers in God’s
vineyard. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">When we help someone to pray, or help them discover their
gifts, or are present to someone in trouble and when we as a community are open
to the enthusiasm and energy of people who, out of all expectation, have been
called into the vineyard, then we are adding me</span><span style="font-family: arial;">asure upon measure to the riches
we have already received.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus teaches us that there is plenty of work in the
vineyard, that we all share the same wage—new life in Christ—no matter how long
we’ve been at it, and that all of us, no matter how new or experienced we are,
we all have much to learn, prayers to make, gifts to share, and lives to touch
as the friends and apprentices of Jesus that we are.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019GvEwyewwKK07xeQl-9sNkNEJUNY6_8JJrxItGJ1ZpulwRoCFCr9wUPZuxUsareXBI5CGvm53OIvH_IpqS4BBp4m_aYDrsEIckujZWfvfq9q2FWNFw174SlQqq6fr5TL74MYBGcmxobxMkxQ4RnI_ohagn5h1sdLIa_Ss90gBVOkwFvA8kzS9wFvwfO2t6EIcD0aDEd3iDsuIHnkkN_DoeFAUkESQkf87zdFqIXbZu1IcPTINgI8DZLkcD9XII8q4Ag31ApF9fjo-BfvR1t39ZEMdCIGCLlQ&c=mGwXUq2_08oMb3TNWZKC2D-SZ7qenf-ptkliDh0aH_HDQ-rm1JGdkw==&ch=fDFeQNakTlehXK2QN4bYgqEX3zcycFsF9rgAn2ce5-3_PqS32kAnUA==" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">,</span> </a>September 24, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span></a>.</b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp20_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.6667px;">September 24, 2023</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/867688251?share=copy" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">September 24, 2023</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/Am8WFbNqLAs?feature=share" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/Am8WFbNqLAs?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on September 24, 2023.</span></div></span></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-88403723239016752712023-09-16T22:12:00.027-04:002023-09-18T13:00:10.040-04:00Choosing to forgive, choosing to live<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNer2rAIzKIjkPDY-R_yFYpGty3FgioRl953YKmuCm3G-1tl3Bf1RyXjfqWtxoaPAhrUTIhsqec-9NXIaVA39ODRM-96bPM3Qz6Bvtqy7vLwETegLT_OUjyytwRDr-NZq3ddWbSUN7lwz-3xkaGxKf_QiYo9KVse7ZXbBQT2wtQ_MaNYFEr0fpbQ/s839/Col-Johnson-Liberating-an-Unfortunate-Debtor.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="839" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNer2rAIzKIjkPDY-R_yFYpGty3FgioRl953YKmuCm3G-1tl3Bf1RyXjfqWtxoaPAhrUTIhsqec-9NXIaVA39ODRM-96bPM3Qz6Bvtqy7vLwETegLT_OUjyytwRDr-NZq3ddWbSUN7lwz-3xkaGxKf_QiYo9KVse7ZXbBQT2wtQ_MaNYFEr0fpbQ/s320/Col-Johnson-Liberating-an-Unfortunate-Debtor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I
know what Jesus says, but the truth is this: there are times when I don’t want
to forgive! I want to get even. I want my day in court. My pound of flesh. I
want everyone to know I’ve been wronged, and I want the one who hurt me to get
what’s coming.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That’s
the truth. And I know I am not alone. The problem of course, is what happens
when we organize our lives around our injuries— when I start to build my living
around all the ways that I have been denied my due, and all the ways I have
been injured—then it becomes quickly apparent that my life will bear the fruit
of anger, of fear, of resentment. And that’s why Jesus says what he says about
forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forgiveness
happens when we choose to no longer organize our lives around the things and
the people who have hurt us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What
the late Presbyterian pastor and religious writer, Frederick Buechner said of
the deadly sin of anger applies to forgiveness as well:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Of
the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to
smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the
prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome
morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back—in many
ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are
wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.”</span></p></blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The kind of anger that Buechner spoke of is grounded in an inability to forgive.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But
it is not magic. Forgiveness doesn’t come with the snap of a finger.
Forgiveness is a journey and a discipline.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I
remember an example of this from 17 years ago, when five Amish schoolgirls were
killed and 11 others were wounded by a gunman in Pennsylvania in 2006. What
made this stand out from the rash of school shootings that have infected our
country, what stood out the Amish community not only comforted the shooter’s
wife and children, <a href="https://lancasterpa.com/amish/amish-forgiveness/#:~:text=The%20afternoon%20of%20the%20shooting,in%20their%20sorrow%20and%20pain." target="_blank">but they also forgave him</a>. They even <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/10/01/10-years-ago-her-son-killed-amish-children-their-families-immediately-accepted-her-into-their-lives/" target="_blank">took in and cared for the mother of the killer</a> as she struggled with his crime. As astounding as that was, you
want to know what was even more astounding.? It was the anger and the revulsion
that the Amish received in their community, in the media, and even in pulpits,
because they forgave even as they mourned the death of their own innocent
children.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A
more startling example happened in 1948. Pastor Yang-Won Sohn’s two teenage
boys were shot for being Christians by a rioter in Korea. Yang-Won not only
forgave the shooter, but arranged his release from prison and adopted him as
his own son.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Were
these people crazy? How can people forgive such heinous crimes against
innocents? It messes with our minds. Yes, Jesus said forgive, but there must be
a limit, and these crazy people crossed it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But
Jesus said, forgive not seven times, but 70 times seven. OK, let’s count it up;
we must be way beyond that limit now. But if we’re honest, we know when Jesus
said “70 times seven” he was using it to mean “always.” Jesus teaches us that there is no limit to forgiveness, either to the number of times we ought to forgive and to the power of forgiveness. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And
then Jesus told a parable about the wicked slave who is forgiven a huge sum by
his master, but then goes out and throws a fellow slave in prison for being
owed just a fraction. We hear that the wicked slave then gets his just
punishment. “Good,” we may say. He surely deserved that! We might forget that
he was punished not because he owed money, but because he did not forgive.
Jesus is very serious about this forgiveness thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
Apostle Paul reminds the Romans about another side of forgiveness. His take on
it was about how we treat each other because of our differences. Some eat
anything, others are vegetarians; they must not despise each other. Well,
that’s easy enough. We can do that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Some
may worship God on one day, some on another; do not despise one or the other.
Another easy one – we can do that! To each his own, we say! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But
then the Apostle Paul asks, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister?” meaning,
why do we pass judgment on everybody else? Perhaps because we so often see
immense hurt and evil in our world and we want to see justice done. We cannot
imagine why people maim and kill innocent people. We cannot understand the
sickness of domestic abuse, trafficking of young men and women and children,
the horror of genocide. These evils need to be dealt with. They need to be
eradicated from the earth and humanity deserves to live in peace and safety.
Forgiveness? Was Jesus being naïve when he said “70 times seven?” Probably not.
Remember that even as Jesus was being executed he prayed that God would forgive
his tormentors and executioners “for they don’t know what they are doing.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So,
how do we start? We might look once again at the Amish. Their ability to
forgive came from the center of their theology, which is the Lord’s Prayer.
They believe it when they say, “…As we forgive those who trespass against us….”
Over and over, Amish leaders tried to explain that to journalists and others
who could not believe the parents of the dead little girls could forgive. The
Amish in that community made quite clear that forgiveness did not take away the
pain of the death of their children. It also did not take away the requirement
that the perpetrator be held accountable. They were choosing not to build their
lives around hatred for the person who caused that pain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So
forgiveness doesn't say, "Act like it never happened" -- that's
amnesia.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And
forgiveness doesn't say, "well, nobody could have expected you to do any
better" -- that's condescension.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And
forgiveness doesn’t mean that there one who injured us is freed from
accountability. That’s, well, unhelpful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forgiveness
puts demonizing the other person out of bounds. When we demonize another person
we deny their moral agency, as well as their fitness for being loved. In
suggesting that the others are incapable of moral action—by turning them into
monster-- we lets them off the hook.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
truth is that when we are hurt and we want to hit back and we want to make the
other person suffer, but choose not to—when we make the hard choice to stop
organizing our lives around the injury, we are freed from the shackles of
living in the past, feed from the fetters of living the injury over and over
again, freed from the prison of rehearsing the hate. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You
see, forgiveness doesn’t let the other person off the hook. Forgiveness frees
us to continue to live faithfully and ethically, because we have chosen to f</span><span style="font-family: arial;">orgive and because we have chosen to no longer organize our lives around life's injuries that have afflicted us either intentionally by other persons, or the disappointments that have inevitably occurred as life has unfolded. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In
a few minutes, just after we recall Jesus’ gift of himself on the cross and
just before we break the bread which is also his body that will feed us, his
body, we will pray the Lord’s Prayer. And we will all say “as we forgive those
who trespass (sin) against us.” As you let that prayer marinate in your heart,
think about what the Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said about forgiveness:</span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial;">“The simple truth is, we
all make mistakes, and we all need forgiveness. There is no magic wand we can
wave to go back in time and change what has happened or undo the harm that has
been done, but we can do everything in our power to set right what has been
made wrong. We can endeavor to make sure the harm never happens again.”</span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001BwhN8JULBzi2-Whpn-exydayRJ-2hv3kcOHVYu2bXOGxOK8dwEhG86e6VNsG48iLjjcdTxJqL2PiW7kKWHQD4E2t36hD4Lfg56sP1G00PDEO1e0Dh3WDr4ZvDNezDoFJiJvMCkvYxldz4IuGHPhk6CNvq5oEVgbYRW3WE9-H2LZ0oUhwhjM9Phpe5Gscx-G2ACFPITDPBz3sXlbCRfnhd9Z-WyL4UZ9Pd6c44RyaAMRypU488Ci97aMYCNAtqVXbmZ0z-0nj_aM48w8EI-E4Zf6ObBFQYiut&c=C08fw6puomsZ5N--PqNiHXZ39_AFojwsBvfEdNI0bSdCNMD1R8z3dQ==&ch=OCajBz5IFmuJNezKVqydAdpVsIfRLlsvqoW43tPRPtCJd1odv5M5lg==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">,</span> September 17, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span></a>.</b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span></b></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp19_RCL.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.6667px;">September 17, 2023</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/865323846?share=copy" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">September 17, 2023</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/D-2oF-4u2uE?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on September 17, 2023.</span></div></span></div></div></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-16019642068110661682023-09-02T21:14:00.004-04:002023-09-02T21:18:00.867-04:00Faith beyond the "a-ha!"<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Tus46jBjwk-jS2J6PHrvW16AzKCuMYPyjZpXX2JB9CYxB0vlwFsZkxyfzYk4JW2mNqiS2sQvQy5n1FyIat92HebUDs7qJsKoR9iqVP2m3Lf6hD2NPo4iVa2WFvX8Nhjm2o3C5Gc07FKX1HhdN8t0QaAIojwO_rk-lTUo92B_000tuZEIa6DMkQ/s268/Allan%20Rohan%20Crite%20Jesus%202.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Tus46jBjwk-jS2J6PHrvW16AzKCuMYPyjZpXX2JB9CYxB0vlwFsZkxyfzYk4JW2mNqiS2sQvQy5n1FyIat92HebUDs7qJsKoR9iqVP2m3Lf6hD2NPo4iVa2WFvX8Nhjm2o3C5Gc07FKX1HhdN8t0QaAIojwO_rk-lTUo92B_000tuZEIa6DMkQ/s1600/Allan%20Rohan%20Crite%20Jesus%202.jpg" width="188" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It happens to all of us. Sooner or later, we will learn or
discover something that changes everything, but it is still too big for us to
comprehend. We have an “a-ha!” moment but “a-ha!” <span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">turns out to be some combination of awe,
wonder, confusion, and incomprehension all at once. In last weeks Gospel, we
heard Peter “get it” but he didn’t “get it” all at once. It will take time for
all the pieces to come together.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Well, Peter isn’t alone. I don’t know about you, but sometimes
I “get it” but “don’t get it” all at once. It happens to all of us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We heard in last week’s Gospel how Peter was able to confess
and say out loud that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Peter is
“the rock.” He got it. And yet Peter does not understand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In today’s Gospel we hear that Peter could not bear the idea
that Jesus would be arrested and then die at the hands of the very people he is
here to save. As soon as Jesus proclaims Peter as the Rock on whom the all of
the gathered saints will rest and, Jesus tells Peter that his thinking is
backwards; that he is the tool of the devil. Why?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For one thing, Peter came from a world that expected the
Messiah to be something quite different than what we’ve heard through a few
millenia of Sunday School, sermons, and Christmas Contatas. The conventional
wisdom was that the Messiah would be a political leader sent by God to liberate
the Jewish people from their occupied and dispersed state. Instead, Jesus shows
that the Messiah liberates people from their separation from God, each other,
and creation. That’s a big mental and spiritual leap: to move from the idea
that Jesus was a prophet to being the Messiah is one thing, but to re-imagine
what the Messiah does is something else. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I think the same thing happens for us. We think we
understand something because we’ve had the light-bulb go off, only to find that
we are immediately thrust into a new set of questions. The “a-ha” answers a
bunch of questions and solves a whole host of problems. And also shows off the
world in a new, and sometimes troubling light.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Allow me to share three stories.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaCMZLoVQMeFCtEsFDelk_NfLzpC3AKMnpl3es9EKyCpcY45spX4h87sDQkms6d4oXG-qs0268Cq6DaxYA7hL2m6piwVn0wDJuYVzVYEnGmC45WZw7IyMiaJu4J00jEMTEitZg4zd9sNBFyewJoDu5UTimb6J7jjIipmsxy3MwUXj31mokOo_Xg/s900/cs-lewis-icon-claudia-kilby.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="723" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaCMZLoVQMeFCtEsFDelk_NfLzpC3AKMnpl3es9EKyCpcY45spX4h87sDQkms6d4oXG-qs0268Cq6DaxYA7hL2m6piwVn0wDJuYVzVYEnGmC45WZw7IyMiaJu4J00jEMTEitZg4zd9sNBFyewJoDu5UTimb6J7jjIipmsxy3MwUXj31mokOo_Xg/w149-h186/cs-lewis-icon-claudia-kilby.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">C.S. Lewis thought he understood pain. He wrote and lectured
about the problem of pain. In his book of the same name, he talked about pain
in two ways: in terms of the consequences of people’s choices and also about how
God allows pain to help us grow. Living through two world wars seemed to verify
his point of view—that pain comes from either human choice or from divine
purpose. Then the unexpected happened: this Oxford don and lifelong bachelor, fell
in love with Joy Davidman, a Jewish-American divorcee who had converted to
Christianity partly due to Lewis’ writing. They met in 1953 and in 1956 she
became ill with cancer. They were married in 1957 and she died in 1960. This is
when Lewis learned about two other truths about pain: that we are drawn to our
choices, like love, because we are always looking for something more; that
sometimes pain happens; and, finally, that not just religion but all of life is
an act of faith. He wrote about all this in his little book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Grief Observed </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">under an assumed name, which ironically was gifted to him several times
over by friends concerned about his own complicated mourning</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYqNWce8xxyvE74CDXi824Nl8Ymj3OxNCfPHpYKMbiqz03-s-IXM9D5L9Vuj3gfg0gdEELRpRdRdZ4i9w8lSxABtZrbyDyBd79QqECnYd-7Si6wcglz6L-8mztuAZEjM-WyzCcXbf55f9FHoC5XeMSpOaZhReWbs2ettypy9gIaLrKu3Td5sJGQ/s157/Henri%20Nouwen%20Icon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="157" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYqNWce8xxyvE74CDXi824Nl8Ymj3OxNCfPHpYKMbiqz03-s-IXM9D5L9Vuj3gfg0gdEELRpRdRdZ4i9w8lSxABtZrbyDyBd79QqECnYd-7Si6wcglz6L-8mztuAZEjM-WyzCcXbf55f9FHoC5XeMSpOaZhReWbs2ettypy9gIaLrKu3Td5sJGQ/w138-h135/Henri%20Nouwen%20Icon.jpg" width="138" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Henri Nouwen was a spiritual director, a priest, and a
scholar. He thought he knew about the mystery of life in Christ, about how
suffering can put us in touch with the cross and peer into the resurrection. He
decided to put aside the trappings of success to live alongside adult mentally
retarded persons in a community called The Arch. His experience of living with
people whom society cast aside and who would never succeed, be wealthy or
famous, showed him the fullness of life and of love.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qvrPJfJXXW4fiq0emA6YsNUWdkHmALyDQ87Xdx6l63Jl8y6rR_9JKdwuZJt9Uftkxq8pmq0tu-8yMnjCCBlrMwJDwl3dj7ZCi1eVQlNjxmM3ashU6S9SwOB2iS5ttB9L8oL9myj4dP6ivwYk0ldD9nywshPzqQ6lD518JrVHVKCA35M0UHUKqg/s254/frances%20perkins%20icon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="199" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qvrPJfJXXW4fiq0emA6YsNUWdkHmALyDQ87Xdx6l63Jl8y6rR_9JKdwuZJt9Uftkxq8pmq0tu-8yMnjCCBlrMwJDwl3dj7ZCi1eVQlNjxmM3ashU6S9SwOB2iS5ttB9L8oL9myj4dP6ivwYk0ldD9nywshPzqQ6lD518JrVHVKCA35M0UHUKqg/w182-h232/frances%20perkins%20icon.jpg" width="182" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://francesperkinscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TLC-Saint-Behind-the-New-Deal-Hoffacker.pdf" target="_blank">Frances Perkins</a> was raised a New England Congregationalist and
became an Episcopalian as an adult. She witnessed the devastating Triangle Shirt
Waist Factory fire that killed 125 workers, mainly women and children, and in
response studied Social Work at Columbia University and would become the first woman
to in the Cabinet as U.S. Secretary of Labor during the Roosevelt
administration. She led the development of Social Security and Unemployment Insurance
and worked out labor and management relations during the war years. During her
time in government, she took regular retreat and spiritual direction at an
Episcopal monastery and lectured on scripture, theology, and Christian social
responsibility in her parish in Manhattan. Perkins experienced God’s grace through
Sacramental living in all creation. For her, to live in a loving relationship
with God was to participate in the work of grace for all people, especially to working
people and the poor.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Paul’s letter to the Romans presents a picture of the Church
that is grounded in Christ Jesus. Much more than doctrinal uniformity, Christian
community is shown when people change and call out of each other their very
best selves. But this change just doesn’t fall off of trees.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Over and over again we hear stories of people who are firm
in their faith—who have an “a-ha!” and get it. They are converted from one kind
of life to a new life in Christ. And then something else happens, something they
cannot avoid, and they are converted again. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is one thing we learn from Peter. When we follow Jesus
Christ, we will be changed. And we will be changed again and again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Many Christians think that change must happen all at once,
and then is locked down. Once and done! Often we fear that our faith will be in
vain if we are anything less that 100% certain about everything. But this keeps
many people from fully engaging God in Christ, because their need for this kind
of certainty keeps them from experiencing the kinds of change the Spirit brings.
The thing is that life in Christ does not require us to know all the answers.
Faith is trust. Faith is <i>knowing</i> in a different way, over and over again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Gospels give us a picture of Peter as the icon of a
Christian in motion. And he is so like us! He could not bear to hear that Jesus
would suffer and die. In his heart he knew that Messiahs aren’t supposed to do
that. But the more he followed Jesus, the more he ‘d learn that for God to
transform and make whole creation and heal the rift between us and God, that
God would break the rules over and over again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Peter will discover that faith is fundamentally hopeful. Starting
with his confession of faith, the rebuke he heard from Jesus, and moving
through transfiguration, arrest, crucifixion, resurrection, the Gentile mission
and on and on, would learn again and again that the light bulb, the aha!, is
never the end, but is always a new beginning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will discover that faith always looks
forward. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That kind of faith gave him—and gives us! — the capacity to
absorb everything new God taught him. Faith gives us the capacity to move from
certainty to openness to change this is how God builds a church that engages
and transforms the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ASh_tNeZVnkLcZCLCt8kTKuWIh5cfPxnJ_ChyfyME7Az3Z_ABojKthz8UGfDpDvq35qQyD1bSccRuqMbggCfwo_W6_WtAmuuflDYwRs0O4Ck0B0kApFtQs1zXsxVq41UdULiaynnPqFP8bvFwk_WIoV_kE9H3TFCAN3a6gDTdVvKwSJdBqzoJsYBmdGHRyYMHb7cz_im_hLp_Eso3koQfT5aZipeJZzlDZlCpy1woLDjqMtMSg-wmhpRdBst_jELu2pmGcVC_8GHftv-CKlEKxDKuLtgjG9y&c=27lKR5gvuXcUIlb95GZgL2RXqqxWyR3_2G5c1-dT9quZiYQXVOK8XQ==&ch=JhzJvNxJRi23ONGVyge_y_235BEqYAkB8kKAWXYRGpqizA8uD5krZg==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">,</span> September 3, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span></a>.</b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span></b></u></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp17_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost, </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">September 3, 2023</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">September 3, 2023</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p><div><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on September 3, 2023.</span></div></span></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-7309181383815933722023-08-25T12:54:00.016-04:002023-08-27T13:06:04.072-04:00"Handle with Care!"<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaKtZ51yW48ugs_D926oDrQSSowEILXH2Wx0a9XHthlokSVaBEpr7CZOM9Y9dj4tiGK_QwJPnmXTmGbR0qesLVC03E_Q9hOpBp7Q8BBlnnQY70UJ8iU23lf8Unx4-WQZmya_S8zmEhzCK248_CScqdy5TO9fad_R6EYQcf-OFM3lBKFKHvxadRA/s2773/Matt%2016%2013-20%20Keys%20Icon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2773" data-original-width="2337" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaKtZ51yW48ugs_D926oDrQSSowEILXH2Wx0a9XHthlokSVaBEpr7CZOM9Y9dj4tiGK_QwJPnmXTmGbR0qesLVC03E_Q9hOpBp7Q8BBlnnQY70UJ8iU23lf8Unx4-WQZmya_S8zmEhzCK248_CScqdy5TO9fad_R6EYQcf-OFM3lBKFKHvxadRA/w248-h294/Matt%2016%2013-20%20Keys%20Icon.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">When
I was a teenager, after I passed my driver’s test, my Dad <i>finally</i> gave me the
keys to his car (an ivory ’66 Corvair with a four-speed!) with the following
words “Handle with Care.”</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I
think that when <a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp16_RCL.html#gsp1" target="_blank">Jesus handed Peter</a> the keys to the Kingdom, he slapped on the same
warning label: “Handle with care.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In
today’s Gospel, we find Jesus is in the closest place in the Holy Land to
foreign territory, Caesarea Philippi, on the northern coast of 1<sup>st</sup>
Century Palestine. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
place was a super-market of foreign religions! It is a place where people who
came from all over the Roman Empire, who travelled between Europe, Asia Minor,
and Africa, could come and worship, rest, and play in familiar surroundings.
Kind of like an American hotel in a faraway city, where you could get a Big
American Breakfast just like at home. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
Jewish people in the holy land considered the place to be something like ‘sin
city.’ It was a sign of their occupation, filled with foreigners, interlopers, and the base for an invading army. So why did Jesus choose this particular place to quiz
his disciples about his Messianic identity? Well, maybe, if you fast forward to
the time when Matthew’s Gospel was written, it might make more sense because Caesarea
Philippi was also the site of one of the earliest known Christian churches. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It
is in this foreign outpost that Jesus asks his disciples “who do people say
that the son of man is?” This is more than a straw poll. Yes, knowing what
people “out there” think is important. And their answers reveal that people—including
his closest disciples-- were still trying to figure out who Jesus is. A
prophet? He’s a lot like that John the Baptist fellow... maybe him? Some said that he's Elijah,
the forerunner to the Messiah.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But
Jesus doesn’t stop there. He asks his friends and apprentices: “who do <i>you</i>
say that I am?” Of course, Peter (who still was known as Simon) speaks right up.
You can almost see him raising his hand like a student in class “Oh! Oh! I know
the answer! Pick me!” And like the smarty pants he is, he gets the answer right.
He says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus
gives him a gold star… and a new name. Simon is now Cephas or Peter or “Rock”
and he will be the cornerstone upon which the new church will be built. And he
is handed the keys… the keys to the kingdom of heaven. These figurative keys
will give the Church the ability to let people into the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Heaven</st1:placename></st1:place>
or keep people out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But
to paraphrase Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben whose dying words to Peter Parker was… (say it with me now!) “with great power
comes great responsibility.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It
takes courage to stand up and confess Jesus as the Messiah and Son of the Living
God. To stand up in the most secular of ancient cities in first century
Palestine is a taste of what the disciples would be sent to do when the Risen
Jesus sends them into all the world, proclaiming, teaching, and baptizing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
problem with keys is that they are used on locks. We use locks to secure
things, to keep them safe. We use locks to keep doors closed. The temptation of
holding keys to the Kingdom is that we will tend to focus more on who we want
to lock out and than on who we will let in. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It
is so easy to put conditions on God’s grace. We have all heard the stories:
People who have been refused communion because of their marital status or who they
love. People who are excluded from the fellowship of the church, or told to worship
in a separate space, because of their race. There are churches who seat men in
one place and women in another. There have been people kicked out of churches
because their pastor or church leaders didn’t approve of them, they asked pesky
questions, or are simply ‘inconvenient.’ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There
is a big temptation to use this passage as permission to act as God’s chief gatekeeper.
Different traditions squabble over who really holds the keys —Rome! Constantinople!
Geneva! Canterbury! My Church <i>here</i> but <u>not</u> Yours around the corner! Why? Because
we think that the one who holds the keys gets to make the rules. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If
you’ve been around our own Episcopal Church even for a short time, you know
that we’ve not been immune to the misuse of keys. We have divided up along the
lines of worship style, what edition of the Prayer Book we like, whether we
think women and LGBT persons or people of color ought to be deacons, priests,
bishops or even communicants! Only in the last few years have we come out of a tough
period of controversy that some have called “The Anglican Wars” as we sorted these
issues out. Some people were kicked out of one parish or diocese or another,
some picked up their marbles and simply left, either because we were too strict
or not strict enough! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We
think of ourselves as very inclusive and welcoming, but getting here was neither
easy nor simple. All of this sorting is natural and very human, and every religious
tradition will go through it every few generations. This problem is that all
too often we close the lock the doors and pocket the key and justify it by saying
“hey! It’s not my fault. After all, they are Jesus’ keys!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At
least in this country, locking someone out is mostly a matter of inconvenience
or shame. But in other places around the globe, it can kill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember,
keys not only lock doors they open them, too. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What
if what Jesus wanted these figurative keys to be used to <i>open</i> doors instead of locking them? What if these keys are meant to
push back the power of death, not simply hold it at bay? What if we have gotten
the purpose of these keys backwards?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Which
is why we need to remember the warning label: “Handle with Care.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I
believe that the reason this Gospel story happens in a city of outsiders and interlopers,
and the reason Jesus cares about how people understand him, is that we who
confess Jesus as Lord have a job: to open the barriers and unlock the doors to
God’s reign, just as Jesus did throughout his earthly ministry and through the
cross and resurrection.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
keys of Jesus open the way of life to all people! We <i>know</i> what it looks
like to lock, bolt and chain the door against outsiders—against the threats “out
there.” But what if we used Jesus’ figurative keys to open doors that were once
locked?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In
looking back on forty years of ministry, I recall that many (most?) of the
weddings, and a lot of the baptisms, and funerals I’ve been a part of were for
people who were refused these in other churches. And, I have to admit that it took
me a while to change my own heart about this. I can’t say when it was, but at
some point I woke up and realized that I, as a Christian who functions as priest
and pastor, can easily erect hurdles and hoops that can lock people out of the
kingdom. So I have changed my practice: these days more and more I want to help
people honor their desire to be married and let go of controlling the
outcome—even if they never set foot in these four walls again, I want us to
demonstrate Christian community, to use the keys Jesus gives us to let people
in, even if it doesn’t go the way we expect or if it causes us to change our habits,
even a little.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes,
I imagine putting out an ad or putting up a billboard on busy intersections
that said “if you have ever been turned away, abused, beat up or tossed out of
a church” because, well, life happens, we are truly sorry, and now we are opening
our doors to you. Or I fantasize about doing a “y’all come as you are” baptism…
no classes, no forms, not even an offering plate, just a pool of water and maybe
a big feed afterwards. It’s just a thought but I fantasize about how that might
look. Why? Because God once unlocked our hearts and brought us into the
Kingdom.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="612" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KOduKb9kjl8_ccY52DKovwmab5tn9kwAmCLBZyvDGJoY7w7Elz8KmX1fF6tUKh83dWsRxkrIDGYctgTHTRMNRyqWZXyOkfjH4I9dm8LQJkEMFdGYYFVhNykSuhPlbLFG0IHJalJUZaSmKF1Cx8O2DVaZ8xOjIc6ojWF2bGhmpOa2xp5b9Pu8dA/s320/dad%20handing%20car%20keys%20to%20son.jpg" width="320" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is said that there are only two reasons everyone is not a Christian: (1) They either do not know a Christian or (2) They do. All of us were given our own set of keys to the kingdom of God at baptism and by
our words and our actions we show people who Jesus is. But "handle with care!" Because it's on us! We can show people a Jesus who
is indifferent or a Jesus who is engaged. We can show people a Jesus who can be a bully or a Jesus who is
compassionate. We can show people a Jesus who is defensive and or we can demonstrate a Jesus who invites and embraces.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You see? What
we bind or loose everyday really does make a difference!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus
took his friends and apprentices to a city of strangers, interlopers and
foreigners and got them to say out loud that Jesus is the messiah and the son of
the living God. Jesus entrusted us with keys and invites us to do the same…with
a warning. With these keys we may lock people out; or with these keys we may,
with God’s grace, open up locked places of the heart and let Jesus in.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I believe that we learn and do the work of Jesus, we will invite, embrace, and graciously, humbly open doors.</span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We all have been handed the keys to the kingdom! ”Handle
with care!”</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001gq9IN-UZ1t9Sh5suzVf6O30NMutM6kSvOyzK4kuwpcJgNrWBbp7zddznp5SJYJJvA_PXxaboEQ0ok2Qc88NzA4y9ZjRvBRrZy1uHEmefPle7nOj7KIsUARVpQ1wPK2s_gc6QpBp0xYDR1MEwFN4kchHkfUmCtEKzEq210Koqo8XhRtYDW0K-tvyct_-PJRlh2R5z94zj1cklpGHlFqGflsTQaDtQB9F79Xl_-IIHnCWSeMTC5F5RhijiFt582cLq1SBZbRXoi0Q3hte1azC-ovO43OGM0idQ&c=N0lhiaE7B1EHlAfVaKfCdV9dCtbIR9zWy7Y9aAdGbcbGIMHDky1Lvg==&ch=SoNIajmHT127uvTpv3sfiMWyZHgzmljVYl0H5SDV7XxmbAc4LADRAA==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">,</span> August 27, 2023<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at <b><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span></a>.</b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span></b></u></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp16_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, August 27, 2023.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/858401639?share=copy">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on August 27, 2023.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p><div><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px;"><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/Y1G7i0V-Hcw?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on August 27, 2023.</span></span></div></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-35445726808202961162023-08-18T17:00:00.002-04:002023-08-23T12:35:38.670-04:00Pestering Jesus<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnx_iHAi0Wq6n28PmdGN6oNZHPZFKv80Bpkd67du-5Z34u4tjeCL3wAIW1A9tNm9YKYxgjCa8dQo1_7QmVTUdnYw73i3HVyNltYOrd-4CVQtnSftH0Pxp-31dAbyTuWKIN0TrlJqisJnUpraL5eNB8bvBA3HAXJvqv1a_-vfqqSUc3Ykjh_JL0g/s324/Jesus%20and%20the%20Canaanite%20Woman%20Icon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="324" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnx_iHAi0Wq6n28PmdGN6oNZHPZFKv80Bpkd67du-5Z34u4tjeCL3wAIW1A9tNm9YKYxgjCa8dQo1_7QmVTUdnYw73i3HVyNltYOrd-4CVQtnSftH0Pxp-31dAbyTuWKIN0TrlJqisJnUpraL5eNB8bvBA3HAXJvqv1a_-vfqqSUc3Ykjh_JL0g/s320/Jesus%20and%20the%20Canaanite%20Woman%20Icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">There is something strange going
on in today’s Gospel. Did you notice? Maybe it struck you as odd but you
shrugged it off because it doesn’t fit with how we typically read the Bible…
but there it is, as plain as day. Did you notice it? In today’s Gospel, Jesus
the Rabbi goes to school. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This underscores an aspect of the
Gospels that we often overlook: Jesus teaches, yes; and he certainly heals and
shows power; but there is something else, Jesus learns and he changes. What was
said about Jesus as a child—that he grew in wisdom and knowledge—is still
happening for the adult Jesus in his three-year mission: Jesus learns. He grows
in wisdom. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wisdom is a constant theme of many
movies, TV shows, literature, and even graphic novels, although it rarely
described as such. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Remember <i>The Matrix</i>? Neo undertakes a journey to discover his role in
overthrowing the Matrix starting with his first meeting with the Oracle, a
grandmotherly figure peering into an oven baking cookies, in an apartment where
the students hang out as if they are doing their homework after school.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>, Luke Skywalker learns the ways of the
Force under the tutelage of the ancient Jedi master Yoda, who seems at first to
be an eccentric, slightly annoying little creature but turns out to be steeped
in ancient wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The film <i>The Way</i>, director Emilio Estevez cast his father, Martin Sheen, as
a man named Tom who walks the Camino de Santiago, “The Way of St. James.”
through northern Spain. Along the way he encounters all kinds of people and
discovers the difference between the “life we live and the life we choose.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Recently, the latest iteration of
Star Trek has just wound up its three-year story, which was built around an
older, wiser, Jean-Luc Picard, imparting hard-earned wisdom to his younger
cohorts—and, most of all, the wisdom they impart to him! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In the Hebrew Scriptures, Wisdom
is the personification of God’s knowledge, God’s creativity and God’s
transforming love. Rather than focusing on the power of God that sends plagues
to Pharaoh, parts the Red Sea or those other “big” miraculous things, Wisdom is
a way of meeting God through other ways of knowing. It is more intuitive,
depends on our senses, and comes out of reflection, artistic and musical
expression. Wisdom is where heart, emotion, and thinking meet. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So it makes sense that when the
earliest Christians looked for ways to describe their encounter with Jesus, it
was the Wisdom literature that spoke to them the most. Their experience of
Jesus was not just of a person who did powerful things, but their encounter was
one that opened their eyes, their hearts, and their minds to the very presence
and person of God. In Jesus, they experienced both the knowledge of God and the
welcome of God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is at the heart of Jesus’
encounter with the foreign woman in today’s Gospel. Jesus and his disciples
went into a Gentile region near Galilee when a woman from those parts asked him
to heal her daughter. At first, he flat-out ignored her. He wouldn’t even
acknowledge the request.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She shouts after Jesus and the
disciples. Finally, he turns to her and speaks the conventional wisdom
concerning the Messiah. When he says that he was sent only to the Jews – not to
Gentiles like her. He even says that “it is not fair to take the children’s
food and throw it to the dogs.” Did you hear that? He calls her a dog!<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nevertheless, with courage and
desperation, she persisted. “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that
fall from their masters’ table.” Finally, the picture begins to make sense.
Jesus commends her faith and affirms her as a beloved child of God. “Woman,
great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was
healed instantly. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I don’t know about you, but this
story startles me because it does not fit with my soft, cuddly picture of Jesus,
who here acts in an arbitrary, harsh, and unloving manner—until she changes his
mind! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For centuries, preachers have
struggled to make sense of it—and to explain away Jesus’ apparent bad manners. Some
say that the Greek word Jesus used for “dog” really means “puppy.” (Uhm, no. It
doesn’t.) Some say that he was critiquing the cultural norms of the day…
really? By being rude? Maybe Jesus was using this encounter to test and stretch
his disciples’ understanding of God? Hmm… we’ll see.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here’s an idea. Maybe the Gentile
woman taught him! And the early Church remembered the encounter because they
too were learning that lesson over and over again themselves! The lesson? That
God’s reign is bigger than tradition or culture or “the way we’ve always done
things.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Remember, Jesus grew up in the
first century and that he lived his early life only among Palestinian Jews. He spent
almost all of his ministry among Jews – the children of Israel. His training
was Jewish. His bible was the Hebrew Scriptures. He lived in a social and
religious culture that saw Gentiles as “other,” often as unclean, or taboo.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Was Jesus was stuck in such a
mindset or was he deliberately pushing the envelope? After all, he did
deliberately go to a place where Gentiles lived when he encountered this
persistent woman. Did this encounter cause him to re-think commonly accepted
views about Gentiles?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Whatever happened between Jesus
and the woman, he clearly went from saying “no!” to commending the woman’s
faith and answering her prayer. I think Matthew’s Church remembered this
encounter precisely because those early Jewish Christians were starting to see
their Gentile Christian companions in a new light! In short, in this story,
Jesus is showing an early Church the importance of learning something new.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jesus’ mind might have been changed,
but the real news is that the early Church—the Church of Matthew’s Gospel—was changing!
They went out from Palestine into the wider world of the Roman Empire; and they
were leaving the Synagogues of the Diaspora and going into new communities, and
discovering over and over again that Jesus’ teaching, the Holy Spirit, and the
grace of God was changing people in unexpected places and in unexpected ways. Over
and over again, they were encountering people about whom they would say “…Great
is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And in that they found
healing! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In this transformation we see the
challenges and inner struggles faced by every succeeding generation of Christians.
Their transforming, God-provoked re-imagining of a long-held, commonly
practices mirror and inform the struggles we experience ourselves in a troubled
culture during this excruciatingly troublesome year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Amid our struggles for inclusion, our
long history of racial inequality, the ways we understand Jesus, the Gospel, we
will meet and encounter people who challenge our long-held, often cherished
notions of faith.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ten days ago, two branches of the
Church recognized in their calendars of saints the sacrificial witness of two
very different saints on the very same day—August 14. The Roman Catholic Church
remembered the witness Saint Maximillian Kolbe and the Episcopal Church
remembered Jonathan Myrick Daniels. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Maximillian Kolbe was a Franciscan
priest in Poland who overcame his early, learned anti-Semitism and after the
Nazis invaded his country sheltered Jews fleeting the Holocaust. For this he
was arrested and sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau. In 1941, when a prisoner escaped,
ten other prisoners were rounded up to be executed. Kolbe stepped in and
volunteered to die instead of one of the others, and so the Nazis executed him
on August 14, 1941. He was canonized in 1982.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jonathan Daniels was a seminarian
who grew up in Keene, New Hampshire and attended the Virginia Military
Institute and eventually the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Mass.
In 1965, he answered the call to go to the South and help register
disenfranchised black citizens to vote. And on August 14<sup>th</sup>, he was jailed
in Haynesville, AL, along with six other Freedom Riders including a Catholic
priest. After six days. August 20<sup>th</sup>, sixty years ago today, they
were released but while waiting for a ride, they were confronted by a deputy
sheriff who aimed his shotgun at a young girl named Ruby Sales. Daniels pushed
her aside and was killed in the blast. The priest was wounded trying to protect
the others. Ruby Sales continues to be an activist for civil rights and justice
to this day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I don’t know if I would ever have
the courage of either of these two saints, but their example inspires us to
seek faith where it will be found, to speak out against racism, tyranny, and
bigotry in all its forms. The story of the Gentile woman challenging Jesus is
the story of the Church—of us—being challenged every day to seek the face of
Jesus in the faces of the people God gives to us every day, and to remind us of
our baptismal promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons whoever and
wherever they may be.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001B7zqZIiSwwu8xh9Q1ZwfLPnSOpYmG3921SRbiYIzCGm7t1VRlJRLmxKC6Oz6tjfx83HeEkfD_bjDfVxPieejf_SzMHmT_CWJ_aGNGQiE0_81EAjfyxahWMT_oFB5jTTEPLBBKWyNpmu-wDy_auSbTyT8NDVti2hpmOpuxrzaP4uMwAnaqp2B8vsPy9p1pmaEPOIdtM2x2pCigYIOqfPGhKVexEJ3AF6Sl0yqk4cQBSY1W50EGD0nMHkuMbIU6_EshtwAzv0drAF1fbzndq0OuFMpMkiVfdGn&c=9GDM58xCx9tRiQ6PXDMvS7HsPghhzZdjpMKkKqIg-4HodLb8rEoDmQ==&ch=5wueV5RkumZKta4FsvzdVNwIYO71bqwL7y0JICRBomLyhWuxl6tqMA==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 12th Sunday after Pentecos</a>t</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">,</span><span> August 20, 2023</span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="color: #333333;">at </span><b style="color: #333333;"><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span></a>.</b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><u><b><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><u><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></b></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></u></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp15_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;">for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, August 20, 2023.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u>Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></u></span><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on August 20, 2023.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p><div><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/CyvCACtO1ls?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on August 20, 2023.</span></span></div></span></div>
</div><p>
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="break-before: page; mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span></p>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-57510221646055553002023-08-11T23:23:00.014-04:002023-08-18T18:49:38.212-04:00"O God, Thy sea is so great and my boat is so small."<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pVaI7-304G7TEcUY_jKqsLmlfDXK8yCNoaiTo__I7h7c7hqVzpayjjwL2PaSZaXBagyAjsfFjzLYkCSIu-s6PKi5zq-kbY4B3b_UGFoeN6YAskUEWqaEuD3R5TOFoHdDKlKxMPehnyjPOfM0J9XKVMtoFctRgGYG0SgmadO8pL1vlC41ncxmOg/s1280/Jesus%20walking%20on%20water%20icon%202.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1016" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pVaI7-304G7TEcUY_jKqsLmlfDXK8yCNoaiTo__I7h7c7hqVzpayjjwL2PaSZaXBagyAjsfFjzLYkCSIu-s6PKi5zq-kbY4B3b_UGFoeN6YAskUEWqaEuD3R5TOFoHdDKlKxMPehnyjPOfM0J9XKVMtoFctRgGYG0SgmadO8pL1vlC41ncxmOg/s320/Jesus%20walking%20on%20water%20icon%202.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Stop me if you've heard this one.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One day, a priest, a rabbi, and an imam are out taking a hike in the
forest. They see that they need to cross a wide stream, but there is no bridge for
miles in either direction, and they have no boat. The rabbi, shrugs, and steps
out and walks across the stream to the other side. The imam looks at the priest, and says “Well, if he can do it, I can do it,” and he walks across the
stream to the other side. The priest looks up and down the stream, and then
across. The rabbi and the imam shout to him “Are you coming or not? We don’t
have all day!” The priest sighs, shrugs, and says “Well, if they can do it, I
can do it!” So he steps out and… <i>sploosh</i>!... he’s in the water, sopping wet.
The rabbi says, “What? You didn’t see the rocks?” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">So….<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Can we please give Peter a break? After all he <i>did</i> walk on water! He <i>did</i>
ask to have Jesus call him and he <i>did</i> step out. And he certainly got
further on his walk on the water than I… and probably any of us… ever would.
And even when he got frightened and began to sink, he <i>did</i> reach out to
Jesus for help.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not a bad performance, don’t you think? In fact, I’d say
that Peter’s actions was something of a miracle! Certainly compared to the
priest in my little story!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We tend to think of <i>sinking</i> Peter. And we say in our
hearts—see? He has no faith! He couldn’t do it! It’s like that other joke about this incident ending up in the newspaper and the headline reads, “<i>Apostle Can’t Swim!</i>” In my minds ear, I can hear the
other apostles now, kidding Peter endlessly about this and busting his chops with remarks like "you know what happens when you put The Rock on the water? It sinks!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">But in all this we forget that everything that Peter did that day was an act of faith!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">That doesn’t make stepping out towards Jesus in the midst of
a storm any less scary, or his impromptu swim any less important, because his experience teaches us that our faith lives </span><span style="font-family: arial;">best </span><span style="font-family: arial;">is when we focus on Jesus. But when we get distracted and feel overwhelmed, the best we can do is cry “Lord, help us!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, I have another riddle for you: Why did the disciples
cross the lake? To get to the other side!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">When the early church remembered Jesus’ miracle, they could
identify with it immediately. Not because they were sailors or fishermen, but
because the new, young church was like a being in a small boat on a big sea in
the middle of a storm. So, in the Gospel
of Matthew (as in Mark, whose outline Matthew follows) “going to the other side
(of the lake)” means going from a safe place to a new, foreign or unknown place
of mission—and this was by definition a risky and stormy trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Matthew is telling the story of what Jesus… and how he
rescued Peter… so that his church can remember what it takes to weather
whatever storm we experience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">And we all experience storms. It can be a personal storm—a
conflict, facing a dilemma, dealing with a difficult illness or the loss of a
job. Or it can be a corporate storm—in a workplace, a family, a neighborhood or
even a church. Whatever the reason and whatever the place, we are all familiar
with storms. We deal with them as best we can. We try to keep the water out and
try to stay afloat, even if we don’t make any headway. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus walks across the water and through the storm to come
to the disciples. Some paintings I have seen of this shows a serene Jesus
walking across the water as peacefully as a stroll down a lane on a summer day.
But I think that when Jesus walked across the water, he got wet. The storm was
all around him and the wind was still wailing. The powers of the storm and the
wind and sea tried to overwhelm him, but could not. He walked through the
storm, not immune from its effects and fully immersed in its reality. He was
not overpowered by it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">He would do that on the cross. He would face everything evil
and sin has to offer, including death. He would die a true and real death, just
as he faced a true and real storm on the sea that day, and he would rise from
the dead. In walking on the sea in the storm, he is not just demonstrating his
power, he shows us that the storm is real and that the storm does not deter or
stop him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Notice that it is only after Jesus gets into the boat,
helping a wet and chastened Peter, that he stills the storm. So there are three
miracles here: Jesus walks on the water. Peter walks on the water. Jesus stills
the storm. But first, people got wet.So,
let’s give Peter a break. And let’s give ourselves a break, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">There are moments (at least) when we are all of us people of
“little faith.” Martin Luther has an
accurate description of us: he said that
they, and we, are <i>Simul justus et peccator</i> which means "simultaneously saint and
sinner". Peter is a lot like us: a
lion of the faith with a heart of gold who is at the very same dense, fearful,
and reactive. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The disciples are
just like us--- faithful people on a difficult journey. A journey beset by
storms and it is in </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the middle of the very real storm comes a very real Jesus to meet them at the scariest moment.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCMXSHpHwc80eTMLOYk0di2Jwv2wQHoZQW6-Dc6oG5Cya2d5WYIVcHW_sRUIjOHMXh1xuSrP_roltGL4ntmgwCLF5DChbmuvnVLf2DHLU0dwadb3IT-3ZqrlBe4t00Frks3RUjqCD1225gXtE-pFu5KZcpeqkKH4vjAm6bly-DzqIeAXffeobZQ/s760/My%20Boat%20is%20So%20Small.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="760" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCMXSHpHwc80eTMLOYk0di2Jwv2wQHoZQW6-Dc6oG5Cya2d5WYIVcHW_sRUIjOHMXh1xuSrP_roltGL4ntmgwCLF5DChbmuvnVLf2DHLU0dwadb3IT-3ZqrlBe4t00Frks3RUjqCD1225gXtE-pFu5KZcpeqkKH4vjAm6bly-DzqIeAXffeobZQ/w278-h174/My%20Boat%20is%20So%20Small.jpeg" width="278" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, there is a
little plaque that was given the new, young president by Admiral Hyman
Rickover, who commanded the US Navy’s Submarine Service. It sat on Kennedy's desk during his presidency and it was the same plaque Rickover gave to every
new captain of every boat in his command. It reads: “O God, Thy sea is so great
and my boat is so small.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Every Christian will
experience storms. Baptism does not make us waterproof! We will get wet! In
fact, to do the ministries we are called to do, we will be sent into some
pretty thick weather! But Jesus comes to us, and he is with us in the storm. We
cannot still the storm or walk on water alone. But it is Jesus who has power
over the storm. The storm will not defeat Jesus—and so the storm will not
defeat us! Only sometimes we have a hard time believing that! And we people of
little faith, we are at once saints and sinners, need only reach out to Jesus
and say “Lord, save me!” and he is there in the midst of the storm to rescue
us. </span></span><div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" target="_blank">, August 13, 2023</a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oeFYwfU6cFAraVT4omLeysMFuYXd3xLptjd1oquVOaNMvQy9f_Nzw6WrFZGkn67jdqxnrcjt4jS00Fih3IoRjVcuGIou4OVzypKHWkGvNT-XOYEtWhoNpy4OafKUm4ROQARSazBIFB03QoAUZsWJ_uRQO9FUJv8yZLrjR7525VhuH9gar89UGNNxTuApLEAanehgWsquMYY2SPq4cnvsDVozD7l2D0DfsPJRqDgKLBIqpcan_IAQyN_Y9A3pBFLO8JzWFvBlzXMQvh16dIRiDqy3VOkdHamD&c=90vXKj7x3clNciLle_ObVkm2aQKHstXiAMN7KExGKpc9lFsj0PkI8w==&ch=3XmJY1HrPvzNGUnKAqUbnEK4WliHMa4cm8ulU97_Z7O54KMa983kBw==" target="_blank"> </a>at </span><a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">.</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp14_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;">for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, August 13, 2023.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/854141624?share=copy" target="_blank"> </a>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on August 13, 2023.</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/CyvCACtO1ls?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> </span>at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on August 13, 2023.</span></span></div></span></div></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12384117.post-56261556768305037002023-07-22T13:00:00.036-04:002023-07-24T07:18:22.012-04:00God's Harvest in God's Time<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqqQtkfEiVAZuuI8LjeEsWTP50eirMc0jeOnJsjcTdU1gVxHmH11e3r6zwovB9kC0A5KitQD15joyu5F8wd8mSwuLkNWb75DMH-9YRdZ5W6xeNusCLc1u_ei6WxjKV57NUjCZJn5AERfEjHcqRL_A3kbyfoEA8qOHbOCzq2Xmi5TRONy2eH5zEw/s599/Parable%20of%20wheat%20and%20tares.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="561" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqqQtkfEiVAZuuI8LjeEsWTP50eirMc0jeOnJsjcTdU1gVxHmH11e3r6zwovB9kC0A5KitQD15joyu5F8wd8mSwuLkNWb75DMH-9YRdZ5W6xeNusCLc1u_ei6WxjKV57NUjCZJn5AERfEjHcqRL_A3kbyfoEA8qOHbOCzq2Xmi5TRONy2eH5zEw/w237-h252/Parable%20of%20wheat%20and%20tares.jpg" width="237" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This morning
I am intrigued by two images: the image of Jacob dreaming of a ladder to heaven
coming down right to the place where he was trying to sleep, and in that dream,
he sees angels coming and going to heaven. The other intriguing image is of a
farm or a garden where weeds and crops grow together. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Both are
images of the holy showing up in everyday life. Jacob’s ladder is nice and
vertical— with angels bringing our concerns and experience to God and God sending
grace, love, and guidance back to earth. The Gospel image is more horizontal
and suggests an ethical component. How do we live faithfully and how do we separate
holy and ethical living from the distractions, temptations, and sin in the
everyday?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This past
year, many of us in this parish—adults and young people—took the time to watch
a TV miniseries about Jesus and his followers called “<i>The Chosen</i>.” We
are waiting for the fourth season to be completed and broadcast soon. As much
of a following this series has developed (the production is ‘crowd-sourced’ not
bankrolled by investors), it’s strange how many preachers and faithful people
have criticized it for one reason or another… too much this, not enough that,
and so on. Then there was the minor flap that erupted when some members of the
production crew were photographed wearing t-shirts with rainbow flag emblazoned
on their shirts. (<i>Gasp!</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ever since
Jesus roamed the countryside preaching to crowds and healing ordinary people
where they lived or worked, there has always been a peanut-gallery of
people—often dressed like me! – who clicked their tongues and told Jesus how it
ought to be done. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But if you
are going to live the Gospel… let alone communicate it… you’d better be ready
to go to some pretty strange, unexpected places. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A long time
ago, in a Big City far, far away, I got a chance to watch the taping of a
daytime talk show. You know those clapping, cheering people in the studio
audience? I was one of those people. But this was different. What was being
taped was a pilot for a show hosted by an Episcopal priest named Father </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Albert Cutié</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You might remember
him because was for a time in the news—particularly the tabloids—about fifteen
years ago. At the time, Fr. Albert was a Roman Catholic priest who hosted a
very popular Spanish-language talk-show on Telemundo called “Padre Alberto.” The
show was so popular that some people called him “Father Oprah.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Apparently,
the tabloids caught him on the beach near Miami… and hold on to your hat…
kissing the woman who would soon become his wife. Shocking!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The tabloids,
of course, loved this… but the Catholic Church not so much. The Church punished
him for having a girlfriend. Telemundo cancelled his show. So, he got married.
And he and his wife were received into the Episcopal Church; and eventually,
Bishop Leo Frade of Southeast Florida received Father Albert’s orders. We know
in the Episcopal Church that he never stopped being a priest and today he
serves as St. Benedicts in Plantation, Florida, in our neighboring Diocese of
Southeast Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the time,
he wrote a book about the dilemmas he faced on his journey—that began way before he met his wife—from
Rome to Canterbury and how the paparazzi simply crystallized the path he was
already on. What I witnessed was an attempt to start up another talk show, this
time in English, called “Father Albert.” Alas, it never made it out of
“try-outs” and into syndication. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, one
day, a buddy of mine, another priest, snagged some tickets to go watch a live
taping, and I decided to go. I was curious: what to make of this show? Would it
be Dr. Phil meets Ellen meets Fulton J. Sheen? I wanted to find out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Even though
the media made much of the tabloid story of a Roman Catholic priest who got
married and becomes an Episcopal priest, that was not really news to me. Over
the course of my ministry, I have known many friends and colleagues —layfolk
and ordained people—who’ve followed that same path.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But an Episcopal
priest—a colleague! — on TV? On a daytime talk show? What was God doing? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The lesson I
learned that day was pretty much the same lesson I learned as a hospital
chaplain, a parish priest, or as the resident priest of a city soup kitchen:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>people have problems, they have choices to
make, and sometimes they don’t know how to sort them out. In addition to parish ministry,<span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <u>h</u></span><a href="https://padrealberto.com/bio">e is still doing ministry on TV, the radio,
and on YouTube</a>, but the format is pretty simple: Father Albert just lets people
who’ve made some fairly interesting (or just plain weird) life choices tell
their stories and asks questions of them, and as they tell their stories it allows
them to sort out how they might point their lives. And not just the guests, but
I think also the viewers and listeners of his shows, benefit from the simple questions like:
“Why?” “What do you think?” “What does that feel like…?” “What if…?” “What
about…?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the day I
went to this taping, I had my own dilemma: to collar or not to collar? My buddy
followed instructions and wore a bright red polo shirt instead of his dog
collar. Not me. As a chaplain, I was used to wearing “the symbol” in strange
places and letting what happens happen, so I wore a clerical collar. The
producers noticed and, through them, Father Albert—who wore his own black suit
and clerical collar on the set—asked me a few questions before the first
taping. Afterwards, Father Wayne and I were invited to go backstage to chat (and
meet his wife, Ruhama, and their daughter, then a beautiful baby girl but now
all grown up!) after the tapings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Later the bus
took us to Times Square for a few hours of being tourists. I went over to
the Church of St. Mary the Virgin for Evening Prayer, and there, I noticed
something: People. Lots and lots of people. People who would come in from the
hustle and noise of the City to kneel, pray, light a candle, or just sit in the
silence in a pew or before an icon or a cross. Who knows what was on their minds or in their
hearts? What were they pouring out before God? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And I learned
once again that this is how God shows up. It might be a talk show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or a quiet church. Maybe a city street. In everyday
life. Where we are, God is. <a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp11_RCL.html#ot1" target="_blank">It is like what when Jacob, on the run for having cheated his brother out of his birthright</a>, was lying on the ground trying to
get some sleep. God showed up for him in a vision of angels ascending and descending on
a ladder to heaven planted right where was. There are lots of places in our
lives where that ladder between earth and heaven… between us and God… is
planted, interrupting (or stirring up!) our troubled sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As I spoke
with Father Albert, I thought of Jesus’ <a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp11_RCL.html#gsp1" target="_blank">parable of weeds growing among thecrops</a>. Do we rip out the weeds while the crop is still growing, or do we
separate the good fruit from the rest at harvest time? Do we do the ripping
out, or do we do as Jesus teaches, and leave it to God? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Too often, we
Christians are quick to worry about everybody else’s garden, to go after each
other with spiritual weed-whackers. But you know what? My pesky weed might just
be your herbal tea. I don’t know. But God does.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus’ story today is
not about final judgment, but about discernment. Instead of trying to manage
our anxiety when things don’t go our way, or to try to fix someone else, Jesus invites
to stop, attend to what’s going on inside us and to rest in God’s cultivation
in God’s time. In the parable, Jesus asks us: why do we choose to spend our
energy trying to make everyone else’s garden weed-free? Trust God to do
the cultivation, the sorting, and the harvesting!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">About two hundred-fifty
years ago, when the industrial revolution was rapidly changing the face of
England, an Anglican priest named John Wesley began to ride around on his horse
and preach to people in those new factories, coal mines and mills. There were
lots of people—particularly clergy— who criticized him for both his methods
(open air preaching and small groups that met in homes and taverns instead of
in parish churches). They called his theology of every holiness “shallow.” Today,
we forget that way before there was a Methodist Church, there was a “method”
and Wesley’s “method” was about inviting ordinary people to find Christ, and to
discover faith and holiness by addressing the everyday problems of family,
crowded urban (or lonely farm) living, of work and life. Wesley’s “practical holiness”
taught us that in the midst of life there is grace.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wherever we
go, there God is. Wherever we rest our head, God erects a ladder to heaven.
Wherever we are, God plants grace and cultivates hope. And God gives us the
tools—of prayer, the sacraments, Scripture, Christian community and above all companionship,
and sometimes even a talk show! —to let God do cultivating and so we can harvest in
God’s time the fruits of life in Christ in our lives today. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">+ + + + + + + + +</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #221199;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001nldonHHjM5aRH-iEPmxqE-FRpvc9guTNIe3-C8EghmkchMpKyykyeR_XEDWNknuCw01uSneAGuCaS7_zLagAVNlFoFtnTU6ERPmKU4SPmxQMwJC6dHpahPfHdKuXnMEc8eHrZntOb-tqQFSyc8NGnUqy-9SKPt1hC60dXCfOTcmmiHU7lQcP20_tnXlHbarhlaVngrFWduhogqqfMGqv_KCo-ir72Nn-WmaZ5zYQjecA-_3djHhszdN1n_M_lg7EvQgHOfF3YcBvhAHCL7az1krZbEzRTAqE&c=ias2Vi9AFguPOUakk-xJm7txf4NXQxNtY1-xBRXJZKycjlNYqHx4zw==&ch=EVFdRShtmAZDrN3Hi9R1Fd6Rp-_rpi-VDq2d9rH2KmS99LIkzxpC2w==" target="_blank"><b>Bulletin</b> for Worship for the 8th Sunday after Pentecost</a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #221199;">, July 23, 2023</span> at <a href="https://stjohnsclearwater.org/" style="color: #221199; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">St. John's, Clearwater, Florida</a>.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><span style="line-height: 14.8302px;"><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp11_RCL.html" target="_blank">Here are the <b>Scripture Lessons</b></a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;">for the 8th Sunday after Pentecost, July 23, 2023.</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/847756937" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Sermon</b></a> at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on July 23, 2023.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p><div><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://youtube.com/live/FrfHrv6ePrc?feature=share" target="_blank">Here is a video of the <b>Liturgy</b></a> </span><span style="color: #333333;">at St. John's, Clearwater, Florida on July 23, 2023.</span></span></span></div></span></div>Andrew Gernshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10915827125794387657noreply@blogger.com0