Proper 19C-2007
Text: Luke 15:10 – “I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The little girl’s eyes were quite wide. About six yrs old, she looked fairly close to tears. Even though the hour was late, the store was full of shoppers. The girl approached a stranger – an older woman - something her mother had probably told her never, ever to do . “I can’t find my sister, she said.” Her face was clouded with anxiety. “What is your sister’s name?” The woman asked. “Tay” came the response. “Let’s go up to the front desk…they will know how to find your sister” and off they went. At the front desk, one of the sales clerks said, “Right, the sister was here looking for her just a little while ago…she might be outside…I’ll see if I can spot her.” She returned but no sister. The little girl went behind the big desk and sat down. A few minutes later, the sister came down the aisle – practically running. Her face was filled with acute worry. “Don’t worry,” said the sales clerk, “She’s right here.” The smaller girl ran out. The sisters embraced, and there was a burst of joy. Lost and so joyfully found!
Today we continue our journey through the gospel of Luke, or as a friend puts it, we are visiting Luke’s house and listening to his stories. During this time of the year, we are listening to the teachings of Jesus - in particular, his parables and we have two little ones this morning – the lost sheep and the lost coin. The parable that follows these is the parable of the Lost Son or the Prodigal Son which usually overshadows these two that come right before it. It might be helpful to know a little bit about what has just happened in Luke right before Jesus told these stories – to ask what prompted Jesus to come up with these little gems.
His ministry had been going well, and it was becoming obvious that many of the folks who were coming to hear him were not exactly respectable. Known sinners and tax collectors (these were known collaborators with the Romans and thieves in their own right – truly considered, the scum of the earth). The text tells us, the Scribes and the Pharisees – that is, the church people - were starting to grumble. They said, “ This fellow welcomes sinners and even eats with them.” For a parallel, we might think about having supper with an Islamic terrorist or person who deals drugs to children, or a street person who hasn’t washed in a month. I wonder, would you invite them to your nicely laid table with your mother’s crystal and silver? Probably not.
Jesus heard this grumbling and, in response told these twin parables - the shepherd who looks and looks until the lost sheep is found, and the woman who sweeps and cleans her house until a single lost coin was found. And, he tells how each one calls neighbors and friends and says --- rejoice with me….that is, I’m throwing a party, come on over…for what was lost is found…and then Jesus says…” By the way, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance…” Think about that…joy in heaven and God throwing a party….over just one person who lets themselves be found.
There are some things to notice…both about God and us.
1. …I am not sure how much cognitive awareness the sheep had of its condition of lostness and the coin was inanimate object. If we think about human beings, equally we may not realize that we are lost…..off the track. The little girl certainly knew she was lost.
A good example of those who did not think they were lost were the Hebrew people we read about in the first lesson for today. They were out in the desert after having been miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt –with mighty signs and wonders. Seemingly about 20 minutes after their marvelous rescue, Moses turned his back for a moment and went up on the mountain for a chat with God. They decided, “to heck with this God and this Moses. We need a god we can see..” They were probably thinking about the gods left behind in Egypt.
Talk about a short attention span! God said to Moses, and forgive my paraphrase, “This was obviously a mistake – they are a stiff necked people. I’m just going to destroy them.”
I like that word – stiff necked. It comes from the world of farming with animals when, say, an ox would not let itself be directed. It would not turn its head, but stiffened its neck and shoulders to continue in the direction it wished to go rather than letting itself be directed. To be stiff-necked is a combination of rebelliousness, stubbornness, and being unteachable.
And, being unteachable, as any teacher, employer, or parent knows is a formula for disaster. The Hebrew Children had gotten badly off the track and were so stiff necked, they didn’t even realize it. It took Moses’ passionate intercession for God to relent.
Let me ask you, when you get off the track, how long does it take you to realize it? And, what does it take for you to listen – the pleas of family or friends, the loss of precious people and things in your life. Do you have to go all the way and hit bottom before you realize you are lost? How stiff-necked are you? Are you teachable? Have a look in the mirror and be honest with yourself. To have a teachable spirit is the key.
2. Here is something wonderful to notice. In each case - the sheep, the coin, the Hebrew people - God is already actively at work. The shepherd is combing the mountain side, the woman is sweeping, and God is keeping an eagle eye on his people. They were not aware of him in the least. They were not aware of how focused, how intent the seeker was on finding what had been lost. So, too with us.
3. Notice…Jesus keeps using the word “repent.” The Greek word is metanoia which literally means meta (a change or turn, or transformation – think about the word metamorphosis) and noia (the Greek word for mind… a turn or change of mind). In these two parables – all the sheep and coin had to do was to let themselves be found..
If we think ahead to the parable of the lost or prodigal son.. What was necessary was for the son to realize that he was lost…to have a change of mind and to head in the direction of home…
Look at today’s psalm – Ps 51 – it was written by King David as he poured out his heart to God in repentance after his sin of adultery and, then, the murder he committed to try to cover it up We use this on Ash Wednesday. It is the consummate prayer of repentance in the Bible.
So, here is the bottom line --- are you lost in some way? Gotten off the track? So stubborn that you don’t realize it? Take a read over the Ten Commandments or some of Jesus teachings. How about, “Love one another as I have loved you” or “Forgive one another.” We really don’t have to look very far. Have you been lost or living in a hell of some sort (Maybe its even gotten a bit comfortable). Here is some wonderful news. God is looking for you, seeking you. He has left behind the saints in light, the angels and archangels and the company of heaven and is out looking for you…not to yell at you but to embrace you . So, let yourself be found and, then, get ready for a great big party! AMEN.
Saturday, October 4, 2003
Sunday, September 7, 2003
This Month at SJS
March- 2008
Mar. 15 ----- 10:00 am ------ Chapel clean up & Make palm crosses
March 16 ----- 10:00 am ------ Palm/Passion Sunday
March 20----- 7:00 pm ------ Maundy Thursday
March 21 ----- 12 Noon ------ Good Friday
March 23 ------ 10:00 am ----- Easter Day !!!! & Flowering of the Cross
Easter Egg Hunt following Church
March 29---------- 10:00 am ------- Brick Church Cleanup/Setup (Saturday)
March 30----------- 11:00 ---------- Annual Brick Church Service & Picnic*
* Please note that in the event of very inclement weather (tornado, hurricane or earthquake), the picnic will be held at the Morrison House in the Village.
Sunday morning services - 10:00 am - Rt. I or II (depending upon the season), Holy Eucharist with Sermon
Wednesday, July 31, 2002
Lectionary Readings through November
Here are the assigned readings through the end of November - Year C.
Aug 5 – Proper 13C: Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:23; Ps. 49:1-11; Colossians 3:5-11; Luke 12:13-21.
Aug 12-Proper 14C: Genesis 15:1-6; Ps. 33; Hebrews 11:1-16; Luke 12:32-40
Aug 19 – Proper 15C: Jer. 23:23-29; Ps. 82; Hebrews 12:1-14; Luke 12:49-56
Aug 26-Proper 16C: Isaiah 28:14-22; Ps. 46; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-29; Luke 13:22-30
Sept. 2-Proper 17C: Sirach (Apocrypha*) 10:12-18; Ps. 112; Heb. 13:1-8; Luke 14:1, 7-14
Sept. 9-Proper 18C: Deut. 30:15-20; Ps. 1; Philemon 1-20; Luke 14:25-33
Sept. 16-Proper 19C: Exodus 32:1, 7-14; Ps. 51:1-18; 1 Tim. 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10
Sept. 23-Proper 20C: Amos 8:4-12; Ps. 138; 1 Tim. 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13
Sept. 30-Proper 21C: Amos 6:1-7; Ps. 146; 1 Tim. 6:11-19; Luke 16:19-31
Oct 7-Proper 22C: Habakkuk 1:1-13, 2:1-4; Ps. 37:1-18; 2 Tim 1:1-14; Luke 17:5-10
Oct 14-Proper 23C: Ruth 1:1-19a; Ps. 113; 2 Tim. 2:3-15; Luke 17:11-19
Oct 21-Proper 24C: Gen. 32:3-8, 22-30; Ps. 121, 2 Tim. 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8a
Oct 28-Proper 25C: Jer. 14:1-10, 19-22; Ps. 84; 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14
Nov. 4-All Saints: Sirach (Apocrypha*) 44:1-19, 13-14; Ps. 149; Rev. 7:2-4,9-17; Mt. 5:1-12
Nov. 11-Proper 27C: Job 19:23-27a; Ps. 17; 2 Thess. 2:13-3:5; Luke 20:27-38
Nov. 18-Proper 28C: Mal. 3:13-4:2a,5-6; Ps. 98; 2 Thess. 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19
Nov. 25-Christ our King: Jer. 23:1-6, Ps. 46;
* Please note: The Wisdom of Ben Sirach (or as it is known by its other name - Ecclesiasticus) is found in the section of the Bible known as the Apocrypha. Not every edition of the Bible has this section, so check with me if you need to find it. (JTCO)
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
A Sermon for Easter Day 2007
Look out! God’s resurrection power is at work!
They came at early dawn and found an empty tomb. They were perplexed – confused – disoriented. Things were not as they ought to have been. Jesus’ body should have been right where they saw it so hurriedly laid and they had seen this with their own eyes.
BUT, IT WAS NOT! Our Holy God’s resurrection power hit the tomb like a speeding train, and the power of resurrection permeated every particle of that dead, already decaying flesh, and in some sort of divine nuclear fission, the mortal was taken up into the immortal and Jesus Christ was raised from the dead – the same, but very different.
What had literally been a dead end was transformed into something no one had ever seen before…like a path made through the sea or the blind having their sight restored.
Our God, in Christ Jesus opened a way where there had been none. No wonder they were perplexed – they had just encountered God’s resurrection power - the power that makes all things new, that brings the impossible, the improbable into being in the blink of an eye.
All praise to our living God – now and forever for his amazing resurrection power!
This is why we should never lose hope….as my friend Joseph says…never, ever, ever…this is why all through the scriptures we keep being encouraged to hold onto our hope. The writer of Hebrews says…hold onto your hope for he who promised is faithful..
Why hold on? Because if we let the resurrection power of God loose in our dead end situations whatever they might be - no telling what will happen and like the women who came to the tomb, you can bet, we will be confused and perplexed - at least initially
Now, it doesn’t do any good just to hold on, to keep hoping if we are not going to let Jesus Christ – the world’s greatest change agent – into the situation. And frequently, we don’t want to do that…we want to let him in, well, just maybe a little, as a thoughtful or perhaps even compassionate observer…but give up control…NO WAY. Let me assure you, holding onto hope as long as we hold onto control is HOPELESS! God can’t work in that situation except in a very limited way.
Because, when we let the resurrection power of God in Christ into our lives, we need to be prepared for things to change, and it will be perplexing – no doubt—So hold on to your hope in Christ Jesus…
Consider, what is the alternative?
It’s the question the angel asked the women…”Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
When we will not let the resurrection power of God into our lives, we become dead people--- we may look alive but there’s death at the center and that’s where it will be heading. BUT when we belong to Jesus Christ, when we are connected to his body – spiritually, organically, his life flows into ours. See, resurrection isn’t something that just happens when we die – it starts as soon as we are one with Christ and his life giving blood flows in our spiritual veins.And what we see is changed lives.
How about you? Are you seeking life in a graveyard? Where are you investing your hope, your self, your time, your treasure? Want a quick way to answer that question? Take a look at your checkbook or credit card statement…it’s a quick and usually accurate indicator of where we have invested ourselves.
And we have to ask, are we willing to let God’s resurrection power get hold of us?
And this applies, not just to us as individuals, but to our families, churches, businesses even governments. Are we willing to let God’s resurrection power into those things?
I’ve got some news for you. If we don’t, then we are like the women in that garden --- looking for life, looking for the living among the dead.
Do you want a dead life, or a dead church, or a dead marriage...dead hope? You can guarantee it by staying in complete control , because our insistence on doing things our own way is what keeps God’s resurrection power away…
Do you want to live…. to have an alive church, an alive marriage , and alive whatever? Then, say to the lord Jesus, come in. and fill me or fill this situation with your resurrection power.
You will be confused, you will be perplexed but you will also be amazed at what happens.
The angel said something else to the women- of which we should take note. “ Remember that he told you that he would be handed over into the hands of sinful people, that he would be crucified and that on the third day he would rise.” The angel said…Remember! He told you what would happen. Subtext: why are you perplexed? He told you it would happen in just this way! Humankind is truly slow to learn. And, we have a God who has communicated himself over and over again in the scriptures…
For instance, why in the world are we surprised at the pain and trouble that come if we break one of the ten commandments, say, like stealing? This is not rocket science. God gives us these things because they keep us from injuring ourselves, each other and from destroying our relationship with God--- cutting ourselves off from his resurrection power.
Yet, if we remember and come to ourselves and ask for that resurrection power to be at work in us, he is faithful…and the result in our lives? We truly live, we can have courage and hope, and the power to love and serve both in the difficult, painful times and in the peaceful times as well and we will have the Resurrected One as our companion forever..
So, on this Easter Day, I say….Look Out! God’s resurrection power – the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead – is heading your and our way. Let us embrace it and embrace our Resurrecting God with joy and praise and thanks and glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and Forever…AMEN.
Thursday, May 31, 2001
About Blessing Boxes
Take what you need.
Leave what you can.
Little becomes much
in the Holy One’s hand.
What is a
Blessing Box?
The concept is simple. The Blessing Box is a
miniature food pantry. It is for receiving items from those who want to donate,
and offering to those who need them. Whether you're taking or giving, the
Blessing Box is open. There is no lock
on it- it's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Who is the
Blessing Box for?
The Blessing Box is for neighbors helping
neighbors. In some areas where there is food insecurity, the Blessing Box is
most often for those who are not easily able to meet everyday food and personal
needs. In other neighborhoods, the Blessing Box might stock after-school snacks
for neighborhood kids or that "cup of sugar" you never have when you
need it. In all places, the Blessing Box
is for those who want and/or need to give.
How does
this Blessing Box differ from other food pantries?
The Blessing Box is small, so it cannot stock
the quantity and variety other food pantries can. For this reason, it should
not be relied on for meeting every need.
Many food pantries require application before
use and have set hours of operation. Anyone may access the Blessing Box at any
time.
Food pantries operate as service providers,
those who use them as clients. The Blessing Box gets rid of that boundary.
Whether stocking or taking items, everyone approaches the Blessing Box the same
way, hopefully removing the shame that accompanies need.
Food pantries are critical in addressing food
insecurity. But some fall through the cracks. The Blessing Box is a small safety
net.
Tips for
Donating
Please be mindful of the Season. In Summer nothing that would spoil easily
from the heat. In Winter nothing that might freeze and become damaged.
Please be mindful of Safety
NO SHARPS (razors, needles, etc), NO
CHEMICALS (harsh or dangerous cleaners, etc).
NOTHING ALCOHOLIC, CIGARETTES or anything ILLEGAL.
Please be mindful of Space. Items will ONLY be accepting in the Blessing
Box. NO donations will be accepted
inside church building. NO donations of
clothing (except new gloves, and or hats in winter).
Ideas of Things to Donate
Non-Perishable Food Items.
Please note: If in a can, please
make sure it has a pull-tab top as can openers may not available.
Peanut
butter, Canned tuna, ham, chicken, Canned
soups, stews, chili with pull-top, Granola / protein bars, Nuts, Oatmeal, cereal, etc., crackers, Baby food, Pediasure / protein drinks for adults or children, Shelf-stable
milk, Beans / peas, Kitchen Staples
(flour, sugar, salt & pepper)- in sealed packaging, Pasta sauce, One-box meals
Hygiene Items: Shampoo / conditioner, Bar soap, Toothpaste / toothbrushes / floss, Brushes / combs, Deodorant, Body wash, Feminine care products, Adult diapers, Children’s bath products (baby wash, lotion, diaper cream, wipes, etc)
Calvary’s Blessing Box is the gift of Brenda and Tim
Armstrong to the Church and Calvary’s gift to our neighborhood
May 30, 2021
+
Calvary Episcopal Church
106 Line St., Charleston, SC 29403
Calvary1847@gmail.com * 843-723-3878
Thursday, February 22, 2001
The Holy Spirit Plays Rough - Lent 1B 2.21.22
Lent I
B - 2015 - Feb. 22, 2015 * Calvary
Episcopal Church
Text: Mark 1:12-13
Sometimes the Holy Spirit plays
rough.
Look at what happens to the
Beloved…Mark tells us in our gospel reading this morning. Listen to the language he uses.
At
Jesus’ Baptism, immediately (Mark’s favorite word) the heavens opened,
the word in Greek (schizo) means ripped open or ripped apart. You can hear this root word in our word
schizophrenic – a condition in which one’s psyche is ripped apart -- Mark goes on…. and the Spirit descended
upon him like a dove...
When I was working on this sermon, I
started wondering what Mark was saying - that the Spirit descended upon him
like a dove and I learned that doves can fly up to 55 mph.
For years, I've imagined this scene as
peaceful, bucolic but this is not what Mark is saying -- his imagery is very
strong, intense. The heavens were ripped opened and the Spirit descended on Jesus - rapidly, with
a pointed focus. Bam! This is no gentle, wafting flight - like a feather - but focused
- almost instantaneous and goes right with the ripping heaven..and with what
happens next -- Jesus is driven into the wilderness by the same
Spirit...
This
is not Jesus gradually sensing that he is being called into the wilderness and
so he finds himself moving in that direction...nope -- the meaning of the Greek
word (ekballo) is more akin to
being shot out of a cannon. He was
thrown by the Spirit into the desert.
In
Mark, the workings of the Spirit, are
not gentle, gradual movements but display a power, urgency, and intensity that
we may find a little frightening if we don't understand that God works this way
sometimes.
I wonder, are we willing to let the Holy Spirit of God
treat us like this?
In a way, the experience of pandemic
is like being thrown out in the desert -
we have been in the wilderness of Lent
for almost year.. like it or not…we have been living with anxiety, fear, dread, and loss…just like God’s
people in the desert, like Noah and his family floating on the endless sea….
What happened with Jesus?
With characteristic terseness, Mark
tells us -- he was there for forty days,
he was tempted by Satan, he was with the wild beasts, and angels
ministered to him.
There
are some details to notice…..Think about the number forty. Mark is squarely placing Jesus in the
spiritual history of God's people -
Israel. Noah floated over a drowned
civilization, under starry skies with no land in sight for forty days and
nights – have you ever felt this adrift? - and he had to trust that the same God who had pressed
him to the safety of an ark would sustain him through this time in a watery
desert. And his journey culminated in a rainbow
covenant that never again would God destroy the earth…
And
God's people, after miraculously being freed from slavery in Egypt, wandered in
the desert for forty years - having to learn to follow and trust the God who
had freed them. Tempted at every turn by
fear and anxiety – fear of thirst and
starvation, and fear of abandonment, fear that this God who Moses kept talking
about had actually led them into the desert to kill them all and they longed
for the old familiar foods, places, and gods.
With great difficulty, they learned to follow the God who led them -
cloud by day and fire by night -- and their journey culminated in a covenant at
Mt. Sinai -- I will be your God, and you will be my people -- and they received
the gift of the Torah so that they might live rightly and honor the covenant
they had made with God.
And now, Jesus, throw out into the
desert for forty days and nights, like Noah, like Israel, like us -- where he
was tempted...
While Mark does not tell us what the
temptations were he does add that he was with the wild beasts –and that the
angels ministered to him…
I think this note is very curious --
what is Mark trying to say? Was it that
Jesus was in fear of his life from the desert predators? Or was it, that remarkably, they left him
alone or perhaps were even companions in the way that animals can be... --
remember that in Isaiah's vision of shalom, the healing and restoration of the
creation (Is. 11.6) , that the lion (or the wolf) shall lie down with the lamb?
This is the allusion...in that brief time in the desert, Jesus foreshadows
shalom...he is at peace and dwells with them...and, then, Mark says -- angels
ministered to him. My mental picture of this for a long time was that they
brought him food and drink - like divine servers in a restaurant... BUT,
remember that the word angel means messenger...they bore communications back
and forth...sort of like a two way radio...and Jesus' communion with the Father
was established and strengthened there in the wilderness... do you think Jesus and the Father entered into a
covenant? Remember that, at the last
Supper, we, God’s people – all humanity – all times - were invited into a new
covenant with God – sealed with love and sacrifice.
Now
to us, the book I’m reading this year
for Lent is about St. Julian of Norwich
who was born in 1343. She was a mystic,
was literate, had amazing visions she recorded, and was an anchorite – which is a kind of
hermit who lives in a small room usually attached to the church with a window
through which people can talk to her or
him and seek advice. They devote
themselves to prayer and serving God in this way.
She
lived through the wilderness of multiple
pandemics – the bubonic plague- and wrote about it… the first came when she was
just seven years old, then again when she was 19, then again, in 1375 when she
was 32 and twice afterwards during her lifetime. It is thought that her parents
died the first time and then her husband and children during the second pandemic. Historians now believe the multiple pandemics
of that time killed between one in two and one in three people in Europe, and
like Covid, it was a global pandemic. [1]
What
can Julian teach us about how to navigate through these wilderness times? ..
the first and most important thing she advises is to “examine our goals and
intentions… to use the occasion to strip everything down to the essential
questions: Why am I here? What/whom do I wish to serve?” [2]
I
suspect this was the wrestling Jesus was called to in the wilderness…. and this
Lent, 2021, calls us to the same
questions – both as individuals and as Church..Why are we here? Whom or what do we wish to serve?
As you know, throughout his ministry,
Jesus went to the deserted places where he could be away from others and from
the very real needs pressing in on him from every side, to be still, to hear the voice of God, and to seek
direction.
Likewise, Lent invites us to go deeper…
to enter more deeply into prayer and whatever spiritual practices that help us step
away from distractions and all of the dependencies of our lives – and to
listen, to listen deeply as we wrestle with Julian’s questions – why am I here,
what or whom do I wish to serve?” or to
whatever questions the Spirit leads you to ponder.
If
we follow Jesus into the wilderness – like him, we will surely see more clearly
what is tempting us to move away from God and to do battle with it…and like
Jesus we may find ourselves at peace with the wild beasts around us, and be
ministered to by angels…
So, let us step into the wilderness..despite
anxiety, despite fear…. for surely, in the silence and emptiness, above all, we will meet Jesus there. He waits
for us: for you, for me. Let us go. Amen.
[1] Fox, M., & Starr, M. (2020). Julian
of Norwich: Wisdom in a time of pandemic -- and beyond. Bloomington, IN:
IUniverse.
[2] Ibid
Tuesday, January 2, 2001
Church Chores Through June
Church Chores through June
Day----------- Refreshments -------Altar Guild----Lector -----Nursery
| March 4 Lent 2 | HG | AM | RK | EB |
| March 11 Lent 3 | BK | MW | BL | DS |
| March 18 Lent 4 | JL | BG | JF | BG |
| March 25 Lent 5 | HCL | AD | HCL | AD |
| April 1 Palm Sunday/ | LB | LB | | GG |
| April 5 Maundy Thursday 7:00 pm | | EB | | |
| April 6 Good Friday | | EB | | |
| April 8 Easter Day | JM-L | PF | BB | EB |
| April 15 | Set-up Team Clean-up Team | HG | | |
| April 22 Easter 3 | BG | JG | BB | BG |
| April 29 Easter 4 | AD | JL | AB | AD |
| May 6 Easter 5 | JW | DS | GG | |
| May 13 Easter 6 Mother’s Day | PF | AD | JF | EB |
| May 20 Easter 7 | BK | HCL | HCL | DS |
| May 27 Day of Pentecost | JL | HG | BG | |
| Jun 3 Trinity Sunday | HCL | AM | AD | |
| Jun 10 2 Pentecost | LB | LB | GG | |
| Jun 17 3 Pentecost Father’s Day | JM-L | MW | EB | |
| Jun 24 | BG | JG | BG |
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