I had my first viewing of the French movie "Of Gods and Men" last evening. It won innumerable awards in 2010 and even if it were totally fictional, which it is not, it deserved them all for it's acting, music and cinematography. The setting is a French Trappist monastery in the mountains of Algeria during the 1990's. The monks are there to serve the people by providing medical care, employment and literacy assistance. Their lives are peacably intertwined with the Muslim villagers until both they and the villagers get caught between a corrupt military government and a group of radical Islamic insurgents. Sound familiar?
The Prior's knowledge of the Koran and the monks' medical care of wounded insurgents prevent them at least temporarily from being terrorized. The local governor demands they accept police occupation in the monastery, which they refuse, and to leave the country before they are taken hostage. After prayer, pleas from the villagers that they stay and deep soul-searching they all vote to stay... and are taken hostage. The movie ends with the unanswered question as to how they were killed, by the insurgents or the government.
The portrayal of monastic life and liturgy comes across as very authentic. Each of the actors had spent time in a monastry to prepare for the role. The chants are undoubtedly better than in most monasteries, because at least some of the actors are professional musicians.
I liked it most especially because it presents Christianity in an unvarnished fashion: we are here to serve and to pray, not necessarily to convert to our way of belief.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
FRESH-OMORE
Sermon: Exodus 3:1-15, Rom 12:9-21, Mt 16:21-28
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Pent 11, 8-28-11
Get behind me, Satan! How would you like to have anyone say that to you, let alone the Son of God? Poor Peter! His fortunes changed so quickly within the same chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Last Sunday he had the right answer to the question “Who do you say that I am” and Jesus gave him a new name and made him the rock upon which he built his church. If you missed last week or any Sunday for that matter and want to keep up on the readings and the sermon and you use the internet, just go to my blog and pull them up. The address is hamburgham.blogspot.com It is found in the Sunday bulletin.
So Peter was the hero last week; this week he’s the scapegoat. Why? Not because he was bad or negligent or anything like that. He just didn’t get it. He wanted to save his Lord and friend from the suffering that was to come. He loved and cared. What’s wrong with that? What was wrong was that Jesus himself didn’t want to go through it. He knew what was coming and He was bucking up his courage. Peter, his first in command, is tempting him to run away from his destiny. Hence the term Satan, the tempter.
Life is that way sometimes. It’s the most natural thing in the world. We would rather avoid any pain in our own life and protect our loved ones from pain and hurt, as well. The term tough love came into existence for those who would protect a child, let’s say, and sometimes that child is 40 years old, from the logical and painful consequences of their own behavior. Such a protective parent really cripples the son or daughter by supporting their continued irresponsible behavior.
But of course that was not the case with Jesus. Peter was horrified at what Jesus was saying and when he could ignore it no more, he tried to talk him out of it. Pretty understandable. There are some things we cannot avoid, however. Jesus couldn’t and we can’t. Disastrous things occur to good people. Our faith is tested. How could a loving God allow this? we say. Because God’s love isn’t quite the same as ours. He has a bigger picture of things and is able to bring good out of apparent evil. Sometimes His love is really tough, though. After all He didn’t spare His own Son.
When we pray for someone who is suffering, we are praying that they be healed or helped out of a bad situation, if it is God’s will. Our ultimate prayer always has to be, if it is Your will. It is really rewarding, though, when we learn that a greater good is apparently coming out of the pain or disaster. This is especially true when it involves someone we have been praying for.
One such case is that of Champ McCahill. Champ is a 15 year old athlete who has been on our prayer list for about a year and a half. He has had a brain tumor removed; there were two surgeries. Recently he wrote this letter to all his prayer supporters; it has come to us through the good graces of Sue and Ron Hollis.
Hi everyone, it’s Champ here. Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. I just got back from my beautiful cottage and family vacation. It was so nice to get to see all of my aunts, uncles and cousins.
I woke up this morning feeling confident but in the back of my mind a little worried. This morning I had another scan of not only my brain but my spine as well. My mom took me at the crack of dawn… well, really 6.00am, but too early. Because the scan took so long (two hours) they put me under, which is always fun! I woke up to my mom and Aunt Norine chatting as usual. They both believed I was fine but I could tell they were nervous, too. It didn’t take long for Dr. Smith to bring us the GREAT results of the scan. Dr. Smith isn’t a lady of many words but her smile said it all. My scan is clear!
I will stay in the hospital for the next two days for my second to last round of Chemo…ever. I will finish up either in Sept. or Oct. I feel almost like a normal person again. It feels so amazing to know that my body is cancer free. My mind and my heart have always been strong and now my body is too. I am looking forward to starting rehab—speech and physical therapy-- and continue to improve. I hope to start school in the fall. (I’ll be a fresh-OMORE. Freshman and Sophomore mixed, get it?)
I know I will never be the same I was before cancer but I have a feeling I like who I am better now. I have learned to treat people all equal and love and respect. I have learned how my community can be so uplifting. I have learned that family can get you through anything. I have so much love.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart and the top of my cancer free head!!!
Champlin Raymond
Ps The Irish are ranked 18th!! I have a feeling it will be a GREAT fall!!!!
There is a bigger picture and God sees it.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Pent 11, 8-28-11
Get behind me, Satan! How would you like to have anyone say that to you, let alone the Son of God? Poor Peter! His fortunes changed so quickly within the same chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Last Sunday he had the right answer to the question “Who do you say that I am” and Jesus gave him a new name and made him the rock upon which he built his church. If you missed last week or any Sunday for that matter and want to keep up on the readings and the sermon and you use the internet, just go to my blog and pull them up. The address is hamburgham.blogspot.com It is found in the Sunday bulletin.
So Peter was the hero last week; this week he’s the scapegoat. Why? Not because he was bad or negligent or anything like that. He just didn’t get it. He wanted to save his Lord and friend from the suffering that was to come. He loved and cared. What’s wrong with that? What was wrong was that Jesus himself didn’t want to go through it. He knew what was coming and He was bucking up his courage. Peter, his first in command, is tempting him to run away from his destiny. Hence the term Satan, the tempter.
Life is that way sometimes. It’s the most natural thing in the world. We would rather avoid any pain in our own life and protect our loved ones from pain and hurt, as well. The term tough love came into existence for those who would protect a child, let’s say, and sometimes that child is 40 years old, from the logical and painful consequences of their own behavior. Such a protective parent really cripples the son or daughter by supporting their continued irresponsible behavior.
But of course that was not the case with Jesus. Peter was horrified at what Jesus was saying and when he could ignore it no more, he tried to talk him out of it. Pretty understandable. There are some things we cannot avoid, however. Jesus couldn’t and we can’t. Disastrous things occur to good people. Our faith is tested. How could a loving God allow this? we say. Because God’s love isn’t quite the same as ours. He has a bigger picture of things and is able to bring good out of apparent evil. Sometimes His love is really tough, though. After all He didn’t spare His own Son.
When we pray for someone who is suffering, we are praying that they be healed or helped out of a bad situation, if it is God’s will. Our ultimate prayer always has to be, if it is Your will. It is really rewarding, though, when we learn that a greater good is apparently coming out of the pain or disaster. This is especially true when it involves someone we have been praying for.
One such case is that of Champ McCahill. Champ is a 15 year old athlete who has been on our prayer list for about a year and a half. He has had a brain tumor removed; there were two surgeries. Recently he wrote this letter to all his prayer supporters; it has come to us through the good graces of Sue and Ron Hollis.
Hi everyone, it’s Champ here. Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. I just got back from my beautiful cottage and family vacation. It was so nice to get to see all of my aunts, uncles and cousins.
I woke up this morning feeling confident but in the back of my mind a little worried. This morning I had another scan of not only my brain but my spine as well. My mom took me at the crack of dawn… well, really 6.00am, but too early. Because the scan took so long (two hours) they put me under, which is always fun! I woke up to my mom and Aunt Norine chatting as usual. They both believed I was fine but I could tell they were nervous, too. It didn’t take long for Dr. Smith to bring us the GREAT results of the scan. Dr. Smith isn’t a lady of many words but her smile said it all. My scan is clear!
I will stay in the hospital for the next two days for my second to last round of Chemo…ever. I will finish up either in Sept. or Oct. I feel almost like a normal person again. It feels so amazing to know that my body is cancer free. My mind and my heart have always been strong and now my body is too. I am looking forward to starting rehab—speech and physical therapy-- and continue to improve. I hope to start school in the fall. (I’ll be a fresh-OMORE. Freshman and Sophomore mixed, get it?)
I know I will never be the same I was before cancer but I have a feeling I like who I am better now. I have learned to treat people all equal and love and respect. I have learned how my community can be so uplifting. I have learned that family can get you through anything. I have so much love.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart and the top of my cancer free head!!!
Champlin Raymond
Ps The Irish are ranked 18th!! I have a feeling it will be a GREAT fall!!!!
There is a bigger picture and God sees it.
His Spirit is With Us
Rector’s Corner, The Lark for Sept., 2011.
Just before the service begins on a Sunday morning the Eucharistic minister, acolyte, choir and I gather in the corridor for prayer. I often ask Jesus to be with us as we lead His people in the worship of the Father. Just now, reading the passage from Matthew, “Where two or three are gathered in my name I am there among them,” it dawns on me that we don’t have to ask Jesus to be here. He is already here. We simply have to stop and acknowledge His presence. “I will be with you all days,” He said. And as we move into a new seasonal bulletin for our Fall worship and adopt the Eucharistic Prayer from the Church of Ireland Prayer Book a subtle change is occurring in our prayer greeting to each other. Where we usually say “The Lord be with you; and also with you” we will be saying “The Lord is here; His Spirit is with us.” I like that better. It encourages us to be aware of God’s presence in our midst at all times. While we can do that in our aloneness with Him, there is something very special about the gathering of two or three or more to help us be aware of the divine presence. That’s why we come together for worship.
This is not an easy time in our country and in the lives of many of us. The tenth anniversary of the attack on New York and Washington is a reminder that this has been and is a hard period. The country is divided in sometimes hateful ways. Civility has disappeared from the political scene. Economic belt-tightening is being forced on households and governments just when it looked like we were starting to come out of the recession. The wars are taking their toll on our courageous young men and women who are serving their country and their families as well.
Now more than ever we need to remember that help is at hand. The Lord is here. His Spirit is with us. John+
Just before the service begins on a Sunday morning the Eucharistic minister, acolyte, choir and I gather in the corridor for prayer. I often ask Jesus to be with us as we lead His people in the worship of the Father. Just now, reading the passage from Matthew, “Where two or three are gathered in my name I am there among them,” it dawns on me that we don’t have to ask Jesus to be here. He is already here. We simply have to stop and acknowledge His presence. “I will be with you all days,” He said. And as we move into a new seasonal bulletin for our Fall worship and adopt the Eucharistic Prayer from the Church of Ireland Prayer Book a subtle change is occurring in our prayer greeting to each other. Where we usually say “The Lord be with you; and also with you” we will be saying “The Lord is here; His Spirit is with us.” I like that better. It encourages us to be aware of God’s presence in our midst at all times. While we can do that in our aloneness with Him, there is something very special about the gathering of two or three or more to help us be aware of the divine presence. That’s why we come together for worship.
This is not an easy time in our country and in the lives of many of us. The tenth anniversary of the attack on New York and Washington is a reminder that this has been and is a hard period. The country is divided in sometimes hateful ways. Civility has disappeared from the political scene. Economic belt-tightening is being forced on households and governments just when it looked like we were starting to come out of the recession. The wars are taking their toll on our courageous young men and women who are serving their country and their families as well.
Now more than ever we need to remember that help is at hand. The Lord is here. His Spirit is with us. John+
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Rocks and Creeds
Sermon: Exodus 1:8-2:10 and Mt. 16:13-20
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 8-21-11
Three clergy—a Lutheran, a Catholic and an Episcopalian—ended up at the pearly gates one day. It was St. Peter’s day off, so Jesus himself was administering the entrance exam. “The question is simple,” he said. “Who do you say that I am? The Lutheran stepped forward and began, “The Bible says…” but Jesus interrupted and said, “I know what the Bible says: Who do you say that I am?” The Lutheran said, “I don’t know” and fell through a trap door to that other place. The Catholic stepped forward and began, “The Pope says…” but Jesus interrupted him and said, “I don’t care what the Pope says; who do you say that I am?” “I’m not sure,” said the Catholic, and promptly fell through the trap door to that other place. Jesus turned to the Episcopalian and asked, “Who do you say that I am?” The Episcopalian replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Then just as Jesus smiled and gestured for the Pearly Gates to be opened, the Episcopalian continued, “but on the other hand…”
There are two great readings today and I can’t preach on both of them. Much as I would like to preach about baby Moses and the midwives, I’m going with the Gospel reading from Matthew. Jesus is quizzing the Apostles much as He is in my introductory story today. He wants to know what they really believe and Peter volunteers what is probably the most profound profession of faith found in any of the Gospels. He proclaims Jesus to be 1) the Christ, the Messiah. Christ is not Jesus’ surname although it kind of sounds that way when we always say it along with Jesus. It means the anointed one of God, the promised Messiah. And 2) he proclaims Jesus to be the Son of God, not just any son or daughter of God, but the Son of the Living God, which is probably the closest to a profession of his divinity to be found in the gospels.
We are used to this terminology. In fact, we take it for granted after a lifetime of hearing and saying it; Jesus is the Messiah, long promised. And He is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, equal to the Father. He is God. We say all that in the Nicene Creed right after the sermon every Sunday. Because Peter said it and really meant it and as we learned later, really tried to follow it’s implications, Jesus changed his name to Rock and built his church on him. He is using the analogy of a building built on the firm foundation of a rock to give us a glimpse into what He really means by Church. Too bad that the word church came to refer to the building, the example, rather than the reality that the example points toward. Much as we love our beautiful, historic building it is not what Jesus built on Peter. Paul gave us another analogy to try to understand what the church is. He said it is the Body of Christ. So it is living and not an inert structure. We are it’s members. The church is people. It is Jesus, the head and we the members. He built it first on the apostles, who are people, with Peter as head of the Apostles. We become members through Baptism. But that’s only the beginning. To be living members of Christ’s Body, the church, we have to live that faith we profess in the Creed. It is not enough to say the words the Sundays we are here, not close to being enough. Not enough to parrot a quote from the Bible or to repeat a pronouncement of the Pope or of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury for that matter. Simon Peter did not parrot a bible quote. And no Creeds would be formalized for a couple of hundred years. There was yet no pope, although Roman Catholics claim Peter was the first pope, a dubious claim.
What Peter said came from his mind and his heart and his soul. It was not a mere intellectual statement. If we would be true members of the church, we would do the same. Our faith would not be an intellectual statement alone. Our faith would be accompanied with hope and with love. They all go together, mind, heart and soul, faith, hope and love. What really matters is following the teachings of Jesus. Without that the creed is empty. What are his teachings? Ten old testament commandments and two new testament commandments. They are: Put God first. Worship and thank Him. Devote a day a week to rest, recreation and prayer. Speak the truth, especially when swearing with God’s name. Do not take human life and that extends to unborn babies, convicted criminals and war. Do not steal from others, but strive for a fair and equal share of the earth’s bounty for all. Be satisfied with what we have and do not covet what others have. Use the beautiful gift of sexuality within the loving confines of marriage. (Let me add a comment of my own because it is not yet official church teaching, but which I firmly believe is in keeping with the teachings of Jesus. The loving confines of marriage includes same sex unions.) Honor our parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren.
What is our profession of faith following the example of Peter? You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. You are the object of our faith, hope and love as we strive to the best of our ability to follow your teachings in relation to our fellow men and women.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 8-21-11
Three clergy—a Lutheran, a Catholic and an Episcopalian—ended up at the pearly gates one day. It was St. Peter’s day off, so Jesus himself was administering the entrance exam. “The question is simple,” he said. “Who do you say that I am? The Lutheran stepped forward and began, “The Bible says…” but Jesus interrupted and said, “I know what the Bible says: Who do you say that I am?” The Lutheran said, “I don’t know” and fell through a trap door to that other place. The Catholic stepped forward and began, “The Pope says…” but Jesus interrupted him and said, “I don’t care what the Pope says; who do you say that I am?” “I’m not sure,” said the Catholic, and promptly fell through the trap door to that other place. Jesus turned to the Episcopalian and asked, “Who do you say that I am?” The Episcopalian replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Then just as Jesus smiled and gestured for the Pearly Gates to be opened, the Episcopalian continued, “but on the other hand…”
There are two great readings today and I can’t preach on both of them. Much as I would like to preach about baby Moses and the midwives, I’m going with the Gospel reading from Matthew. Jesus is quizzing the Apostles much as He is in my introductory story today. He wants to know what they really believe and Peter volunteers what is probably the most profound profession of faith found in any of the Gospels. He proclaims Jesus to be 1) the Christ, the Messiah. Christ is not Jesus’ surname although it kind of sounds that way when we always say it along with Jesus. It means the anointed one of God, the promised Messiah. And 2) he proclaims Jesus to be the Son of God, not just any son or daughter of God, but the Son of the Living God, which is probably the closest to a profession of his divinity to be found in the gospels.
We are used to this terminology. In fact, we take it for granted after a lifetime of hearing and saying it; Jesus is the Messiah, long promised. And He is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, equal to the Father. He is God. We say all that in the Nicene Creed right after the sermon every Sunday. Because Peter said it and really meant it and as we learned later, really tried to follow it’s implications, Jesus changed his name to Rock and built his church on him. He is using the analogy of a building built on the firm foundation of a rock to give us a glimpse into what He really means by Church. Too bad that the word church came to refer to the building, the example, rather than the reality that the example points toward. Much as we love our beautiful, historic building it is not what Jesus built on Peter. Paul gave us another analogy to try to understand what the church is. He said it is the Body of Christ. So it is living and not an inert structure. We are it’s members. The church is people. It is Jesus, the head and we the members. He built it first on the apostles, who are people, with Peter as head of the Apostles. We become members through Baptism. But that’s only the beginning. To be living members of Christ’s Body, the church, we have to live that faith we profess in the Creed. It is not enough to say the words the Sundays we are here, not close to being enough. Not enough to parrot a quote from the Bible or to repeat a pronouncement of the Pope or of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury for that matter. Simon Peter did not parrot a bible quote. And no Creeds would be formalized for a couple of hundred years. There was yet no pope, although Roman Catholics claim Peter was the first pope, a dubious claim.
What Peter said came from his mind and his heart and his soul. It was not a mere intellectual statement. If we would be true members of the church, we would do the same. Our faith would not be an intellectual statement alone. Our faith would be accompanied with hope and with love. They all go together, mind, heart and soul, faith, hope and love. What really matters is following the teachings of Jesus. Without that the creed is empty. What are his teachings? Ten old testament commandments and two new testament commandments. They are: Put God first. Worship and thank Him. Devote a day a week to rest, recreation and prayer. Speak the truth, especially when swearing with God’s name. Do not take human life and that extends to unborn babies, convicted criminals and war. Do not steal from others, but strive for a fair and equal share of the earth’s bounty for all. Be satisfied with what we have and do not covet what others have. Use the beautiful gift of sexuality within the loving confines of marriage. (Let me add a comment of my own because it is not yet official church teaching, but which I firmly believe is in keeping with the teachings of Jesus. The loving confines of marriage includes same sex unions.) Honor our parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren.
What is our profession of faith following the example of Peter? You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. You are the object of our faith, hope and love as we strive to the best of our ability to follow your teachings in relation to our fellow men and women.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
God's Soap Opera
Sermon: Genesis 45:1-15
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Aug. 14, 2011
How many of you are soap opera fans? How many of you are soap opera addicts? Our daughter had a soap opera that she followed faithfully during her teen years, "Days of Our Lives." She would tape it and watch it in the evening after school. Sometimes I would watch it with her; that way we had something in common to talk about. I checked it out this week. It is still going and at least one of the characters is still in the show after twenty years.
A good soap opera includes the best and worst of human behavior. I’m thinking of one such now. It has several wives, many children, sibling rivalry, deceit, parental favoritism, flaunting or showing off, jealousy, hatred, violence, abundance, famine, hunger, love, caring, forgiveness and rescue.
I’m talking about one of the soap operas in the Bible, one of the longest running. It is the one involving Jacob and his sons, of which we have an excerpt in today’s Old Testament reading. It could aptly be called "All My Sons". Jacob, renamed Israel by God, dominates the last 25 chapters of the Book of Genesis, half the book. Today’s reading is just a little excerpt from that long saga. It has all the plots of a long-running contemporary soap opera.
I suggest you go home, get out your Bible and read all 25 chapters. The story, as briefly as it can be told, is that Jacob was born a twin, but second-born, and he had to trick his brother and his father into getting his brother’s birthright. He in turn is tricked by his future father-in- law into marrying, not the woman he loved after working 7 years for her, but her older sister. He then works another seven years for Rachel. Ultimately he has thirteen sons and one daughter, Dinah, by the two wives and their maid servants. Joseph, the 12th born son is his favorite; he is Rachel's only son up to that poinet. Joseph has the gift of dream interpretation. He is resented by his brothers because he tattled to their father on them and because he flaunts his special status with the multi-colored robe their father gave him. Some of his brothers want to kill him, but instead they sell him into slavery to a caravan headed for Egypt, but take his robe back to their father with animal blood on it. Jacob concludes his beloved son has been killed by a wild animal.
In the meantime in Egypt Joseph has mixed fortunes. After spending some time in jail for resisting the wiles of his master’s wife, he comes to the attention of Pharaoh who needs a dream interpreter. Joseph interprets his dream that there will be 7 years of abundant crops and seven years of famine. Pharaoh believes him and makes him #2 man in the land with responsibility for storing up the abundance. After 7 years famine does hit the entire region. Two years into the famine Jacob and his family are starving back in Canaan. He sends his boys to Egypt to buy grain, all except Benjamin, who has been born of Rachel after Joseph was taken away. Joseph recognizes them immediately and forgives, but they do not recognize him. He still will exact some pain from them, though, and tricks them into bringing Benjamin down to Egypt. Today’s Gospel describes his tearful reunion with his brothers. Jacob is then convinced to relocate his entire family and flocks to Egypt because there will be 5 more years of famine and Joseph can look out for them.
So, how does this biblical soap opera differ from those found in literature and television? This one is part of salvation history. This family is one chosen by God to keep alive the true faith in Him. He uses the tragedy of Joseph’s being sold into slavery as a vehicle for saving this family. Both Jacob and Joseph are recognized as having this strong faith. Through them the descendants of Abraham will prosper on the land. Yet the entire bunch is flawed; no one is perfect. So where was God going to find a family without flaw? One of ours?
The opera continues. Jacob’s descendants multiply in Egypt and prosper for a time, but then there comes a pharaoh who knew not Joseph and they become slaves. Some have speculated that they may have been involved in building some of the pyramids. God sends another savior, Moses, to bring them back home to Canaan and to restore their faith in Jahweh. But that’s another opera and another book, Exodus. I suggest that be next on your summer reading list.
The message: don’t give into despair. There are tragedies in our own families? We see many of the same themes as with Jacob’s opera: jealousies, alienations, brothers and sisters not talking to each other for generations, sometimes even violence. But it’s not over till it’s over. Remember Joseph. The fact that he matured and forgave made all the difference in the world. He became the salvation and change agent for his family. We too can change. Sometimes it takes a crisis. We can only change ourselves. We need to stop expecting others to change and change the one person we can.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Aug. 14, 2011
How many of you are soap opera fans? How many of you are soap opera addicts? Our daughter had a soap opera that she followed faithfully during her teen years, "Days of Our Lives." She would tape it and watch it in the evening after school. Sometimes I would watch it with her; that way we had something in common to talk about. I checked it out this week. It is still going and at least one of the characters is still in the show after twenty years.
A good soap opera includes the best and worst of human behavior. I’m thinking of one such now. It has several wives, many children, sibling rivalry, deceit, parental favoritism, flaunting or showing off, jealousy, hatred, violence, abundance, famine, hunger, love, caring, forgiveness and rescue.
I’m talking about one of the soap operas in the Bible, one of the longest running. It is the one involving Jacob and his sons, of which we have an excerpt in today’s Old Testament reading. It could aptly be called "All My Sons". Jacob, renamed Israel by God, dominates the last 25 chapters of the Book of Genesis, half the book. Today’s reading is just a little excerpt from that long saga. It has all the plots of a long-running contemporary soap opera.
I suggest you go home, get out your Bible and read all 25 chapters. The story, as briefly as it can be told, is that Jacob was born a twin, but second-born, and he had to trick his brother and his father into getting his brother’s birthright. He in turn is tricked by his future father-in- law into marrying, not the woman he loved after working 7 years for her, but her older sister. He then works another seven years for Rachel. Ultimately he has thirteen sons and one daughter, Dinah, by the two wives and their maid servants. Joseph, the 12th born son is his favorite; he is Rachel's only son up to that poinet. Joseph has the gift of dream interpretation. He is resented by his brothers because he tattled to their father on them and because he flaunts his special status with the multi-colored robe their father gave him. Some of his brothers want to kill him, but instead they sell him into slavery to a caravan headed for Egypt, but take his robe back to their father with animal blood on it. Jacob concludes his beloved son has been killed by a wild animal.
In the meantime in Egypt Joseph has mixed fortunes. After spending some time in jail for resisting the wiles of his master’s wife, he comes to the attention of Pharaoh who needs a dream interpreter. Joseph interprets his dream that there will be 7 years of abundant crops and seven years of famine. Pharaoh believes him and makes him #2 man in the land with responsibility for storing up the abundance. After 7 years famine does hit the entire region. Two years into the famine Jacob and his family are starving back in Canaan. He sends his boys to Egypt to buy grain, all except Benjamin, who has been born of Rachel after Joseph was taken away. Joseph recognizes them immediately and forgives, but they do not recognize him. He still will exact some pain from them, though, and tricks them into bringing Benjamin down to Egypt. Today’s Gospel describes his tearful reunion with his brothers. Jacob is then convinced to relocate his entire family and flocks to Egypt because there will be 5 more years of famine and Joseph can look out for them.
So, how does this biblical soap opera differ from those found in literature and television? This one is part of salvation history. This family is one chosen by God to keep alive the true faith in Him. He uses the tragedy of Joseph’s being sold into slavery as a vehicle for saving this family. Both Jacob and Joseph are recognized as having this strong faith. Through them the descendants of Abraham will prosper on the land. Yet the entire bunch is flawed; no one is perfect. So where was God going to find a family without flaw? One of ours?
The opera continues. Jacob’s descendants multiply in Egypt and prosper for a time, but then there comes a pharaoh who knew not Joseph and they become slaves. Some have speculated that they may have been involved in building some of the pyramids. God sends another savior, Moses, to bring them back home to Canaan and to restore their faith in Jahweh. But that’s another opera and another book, Exodus. I suggest that be next on your summer reading list.
The message: don’t give into despair. There are tragedies in our own families? We see many of the same themes as with Jacob’s opera: jealousies, alienations, brothers and sisters not talking to each other for generations, sometimes even violence. But it’s not over till it’s over. Remember Joseph. The fact that he matured and forgave made all the difference in the world. He became the salvation and change agent for his family. We too can change. Sometimes it takes a crisis. We can only change ourselves. We need to stop expecting others to change and change the one person we can.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
An Evening at the Court
It was a hot summer day, June 20th, in D.C. Cheryl and I took the Metro in from Alexandria. I was carrying my sports jacket. I had been told a jacket and tie would be sufficient. As it turned out a dark business suit would have been more appropriate. Jim, my good friend and classmate from 50 years ago, greeted us at the entrance to the Historical Society of the Supreme Court and we were immersed for an hour or so in the history of the Court and it's justices. It was clear that Jim was highly respected as the unofficial historian of the Court. It was his collection of books on the lives of the justices, donated to the society, that lined the walls of it's library.
Then it was time to make the two block walk to the Court. The sun was still beating down on the nation's capital and on the TV cameras and commentators gathered at the base of the imposing steps leading to the front entrance. Could the setting for the Final Judgment be more threatening than this? We quickly realized the reason for the cameras. This was the day the Court had brought down its decision on Female Employees vs. Walmart (or whatever the official title of the case.) The networks were there to announce to the world that for all practical purposes the nation's largest corporation had prevailed over its lesser paid employees. (5 to 4).
The newsday was coming to an end and the equipment was being packed up and driven away. Our attention was drawn to a celebrative group of folks posing for a picture on the steps. They were the occasion of our visit. These highschool social science teachers had spent the week in the environs of Court studying its working and arguing its pending cases. They had been invited earlier that day to come into the courtroom to hear four decisions, Walmart only being one. This evening their week at the Court was culminating with a reception in their honor hosted by the Chief Justice. Jim was slipping us in to the reception, he said, as "ringers." We were to act as if we were staff of the Historical Society and mingle with the teachers.
Fortunately, there was an elevator as an alternative to the front steps. We were ushered into one of two reception rooms. This one had portraits of the chief justices. The one that caught my attention was the one of Justice Rehnquist. He had introduced yellow stripes onto the sleeves of his robe. They stood out in the portrait as if he were an army drill sergeant. The teachers were excited and thrilled by their week, ready to return to their home states and share the excitement about the judicial system with their students. I was impressed especially by a veteran temale teacher from the Detroit Public Schools and a young man from Arkansas. The drinks and finger food were plentiful. I tried not to spill anything on the floor or on myself.
After all, I was a "ringer."
Chief Justice Roberts welcomed the teachers, spoke briefly and with some pride of the decisions rendered that day and spoke more extensively about the respect with which the U.S. Supreme Court was held around the world. In fact, he was leaving as soon as that session was finished on a tour of Easter Europe, the former Soviet Block countries, to encourage their supreme courts to emulate the American system. I bypassed the opportunity to discusst the fine points of the Walmart decision with him.
After the reception Jim had arranged for a tour of the building for us with the Procurator. She it is who has responsibility for the many artifacts and portraits contained in the building. And as the court's historian he works closely with her. A wonderfully accomodating person, she took us into nooks and cranies not ordinarily seen on routinue tours. She showed us, for instance, a newly completed portrait of Justice Brennan waiting in the wings until he retires or dies. They do not hang portraits of sitting justices. We were ushered into the courtroom itself and, although not encouraged to sit in one of the justices' chairs, could have sat on the side reserved for family members or the press section or even the seat reserved for visiting chief justices from other countries.
The sun was setting well to the north of the Washington Monument as we viewed that white obelisk from Capital Hill. It had cooled off a bit and Jim was walking Cheryl and me back to the Metro Stop. I was impressed with how long this friendship had endured with little personal contact over the years. I was also impressed with the strength of tradition and commitment to law which enforce narrow-majority decisions of this court. One resignation, one appointment can alter the course of legal history.
Then it was time to make the two block walk to the Court. The sun was still beating down on the nation's capital and on the TV cameras and commentators gathered at the base of the imposing steps leading to the front entrance. Could the setting for the Final Judgment be more threatening than this? We quickly realized the reason for the cameras. This was the day the Court had brought down its decision on Female Employees vs. Walmart (or whatever the official title of the case.) The networks were there to announce to the world that for all practical purposes the nation's largest corporation had prevailed over its lesser paid employees. (5 to 4).
The newsday was coming to an end and the equipment was being packed up and driven away. Our attention was drawn to a celebrative group of folks posing for a picture on the steps. They were the occasion of our visit. These highschool social science teachers had spent the week in the environs of Court studying its working and arguing its pending cases. They had been invited earlier that day to come into the courtroom to hear four decisions, Walmart only being one. This evening their week at the Court was culminating with a reception in their honor hosted by the Chief Justice. Jim was slipping us in to the reception, he said, as "ringers." We were to act as if we were staff of the Historical Society and mingle with the teachers.
Fortunately, there was an elevator as an alternative to the front steps. We were ushered into one of two reception rooms. This one had portraits of the chief justices. The one that caught my attention was the one of Justice Rehnquist. He had introduced yellow stripes onto the sleeves of his robe. They stood out in the portrait as if he were an army drill sergeant. The teachers were excited and thrilled by their week, ready to return to their home states and share the excitement about the judicial system with their students. I was impressed especially by a veteran temale teacher from the Detroit Public Schools and a young man from Arkansas. The drinks and finger food were plentiful. I tried not to spill anything on the floor or on myself.
After all, I was a "ringer."
Chief Justice Roberts welcomed the teachers, spoke briefly and with some pride of the decisions rendered that day and spoke more extensively about the respect with which the U.S. Supreme Court was held around the world. In fact, he was leaving as soon as that session was finished on a tour of Easter Europe, the former Soviet Block countries, to encourage their supreme courts to emulate the American system. I bypassed the opportunity to discusst the fine points of the Walmart decision with him.
After the reception Jim had arranged for a tour of the building for us with the Procurator. She it is who has responsibility for the many artifacts and portraits contained in the building. And as the court's historian he works closely with her. A wonderfully accomodating person, she took us into nooks and cranies not ordinarily seen on routinue tours. She showed us, for instance, a newly completed portrait of Justice Brennan waiting in the wings until he retires or dies. They do not hang portraits of sitting justices. We were ushered into the courtroom itself and, although not encouraged to sit in one of the justices' chairs, could have sat on the side reserved for family members or the press section or even the seat reserved for visiting chief justices from other countries.
The sun was setting well to the north of the Washington Monument as we viewed that white obelisk from Capital Hill. It had cooled off a bit and Jim was walking Cheryl and me back to the Metro Stop. I was impressed with how long this friendship had endured with little personal contact over the years. I was also impressed with the strength of tradition and commitment to law which enforce narrow-majority decisions of this court. One resignation, one appointment can alter the course of legal history.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Heavy Seas
Sermon: (Mt. 14:1-3)
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Aug.7, 2011
Stories of the sea are plentiful in literature, both sacred and secular, and in the movies. I am thinking of Moby Dick, the great novel by Herman Melville about the great white whale, the movie Shipwrecked, and Tom Hank’s movie, Cast Away, to name a few. In Scripture we have the Great Flood and Noe’s Ark and Jonah and the Whale. Then there is today’s story of Jesus walking on the water.
There is something primal about deep water in our heritage that has stayed with us. Perhaps it is because we may be descended from animals that millions of years ago crawled out of the sea and began to live on dry land. Perhaps it is because we spend 9 months in the amniotic fluid of the womb before we are born and eventually learn to crawl on dry land. Perhaps it is because a large percentage of our body is water based. Perhaps it is because water is essential for our life. Perhaps it is because of all these things and more.
Deep water, such as the sea, can be threatening for creatures like ourselves who have to learn to swim and sail. We don’t have webbed feet. When there is wind behind it or when it comes in great amounts is has great power to destroy. Witness the hurricanes, tsunamis and floods that have plagued our planet in recent years. It also has the power to run tiny mills, like the one that used to stand down here on Horsehoe Creek or to generate electricity in massive kilowatts, like the hydroelectric plant on the Mississippi at Keokuk, IA near where I grew up.
Given the natural power of water, no wonder Jesus chose water as the sacrament of initiation into his supernatural life. He submitted himself to the baptism of John which was a baptism only of repentance and by so doing sanctified the act and made it a means of grace for us. The symbolism is of his death and resurrection. Through it we are born again. Jesus also spoke of living water as a means of filling up the void at the center of our souls.
So we come back to today’s gospel. Jesus has been toiling very hard in the ministry. He asks the Apostles to sail on ahead while He has time alone to commune with the Father. The Apostles run into heavy seas. The sea of Galilee , while only about the size of Lake St. Clair, was capable of sudden storms. They are getting nowhere until they see a ghost-like figure walking to them across the water. Jesus calms them and agrees to beckon Peter to come to Him. As long as Peter did not focus on his fears he was fine, but when he realized what he was doing, thinking he alone was doing it, he began to sink.
The message? We can do mighty things with the help of Him who strengthens us. It takes two to tango, however. We have to be willing to take the plunge of faith, and attempt to do what seems impossible and we have to continue to depend on Him. Once we think we are doing it all by ourselves, we give into our fears and sink. Think of times you were called on to handle situations in your life and that of your family that you didn’t see how you could possibly survive, let alone thrive. It seemed like you had to walk on water. But you did it with His help.
The spiritual implications of storms at sea are overwhelming. I wish share with you a conversion story shared with me recently by an old friend. He is a recovering alcoholic. At the time of this event, which was many years ago, he was newly sober but adrift, without God’s meaning to fill the void in His life. For whatever reason, he set out in a sail boat, a rather large one, into the Atlantic Ocean to make his way, all by himself, down the east coast to Florida. He got caught in a hurricane. The boat lost its power, so that he could neither control it nor radio for help. He gave up, believing the Gulf Stream would take him and he would never be found, if indeed the boat even weathered the storm. He was down in the hold, curled up, accepting what he thought his fate to be when Jesus came and sat next to him. Jesus simply said “You will be forgiven” and was gone. My friend decided all was not lost and that he had to take what control he could of the boat. First he wisely made a meal for himself in the galley and then went topside to take down the sails, which he had not done. Eventually, the hurricane subsided and he made his way into the coast, not knowing where he was. He docked at Charleston S.C. He not go on to Florida. Florida was not the intended destination anyway. He said it took him some years to realize what Jesus meant. He meant eventually you will forgive yourself for your previous life. My friend is now in the process of writing a book about his spiritual journey, of which that journey in the sea is a metaphor. Since his rebirth he has helped many, many people.
We can do all things in him who strengthens us, sailing through storms and metaphorically walking on water, if we are willing to take the plunge of faith and if we never forget whose wind is in our sails.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Aug.7, 2011
Stories of the sea are plentiful in literature, both sacred and secular, and in the movies. I am thinking of Moby Dick, the great novel by Herman Melville about the great white whale, the movie Shipwrecked, and Tom Hank’s movie, Cast Away, to name a few. In Scripture we have the Great Flood and Noe’s Ark and Jonah and the Whale. Then there is today’s story of Jesus walking on the water.
There is something primal about deep water in our heritage that has stayed with us. Perhaps it is because we may be descended from animals that millions of years ago crawled out of the sea and began to live on dry land. Perhaps it is because we spend 9 months in the amniotic fluid of the womb before we are born and eventually learn to crawl on dry land. Perhaps it is because a large percentage of our body is water based. Perhaps it is because water is essential for our life. Perhaps it is because of all these things and more.
Deep water, such as the sea, can be threatening for creatures like ourselves who have to learn to swim and sail. We don’t have webbed feet. When there is wind behind it or when it comes in great amounts is has great power to destroy. Witness the hurricanes, tsunamis and floods that have plagued our planet in recent years. It also has the power to run tiny mills, like the one that used to stand down here on Horsehoe Creek or to generate electricity in massive kilowatts, like the hydroelectric plant on the Mississippi at Keokuk, IA near where I grew up.
Given the natural power of water, no wonder Jesus chose water as the sacrament of initiation into his supernatural life. He submitted himself to the baptism of John which was a baptism only of repentance and by so doing sanctified the act and made it a means of grace for us. The symbolism is of his death and resurrection. Through it we are born again. Jesus also spoke of living water as a means of filling up the void at the center of our souls.
So we come back to today’s gospel. Jesus has been toiling very hard in the ministry. He asks the Apostles to sail on ahead while He has time alone to commune with the Father. The Apostles run into heavy seas. The sea of Galilee , while only about the size of Lake St. Clair, was capable of sudden storms. They are getting nowhere until they see a ghost-like figure walking to them across the water. Jesus calms them and agrees to beckon Peter to come to Him. As long as Peter did not focus on his fears he was fine, but when he realized what he was doing, thinking he alone was doing it, he began to sink.
The message? We can do mighty things with the help of Him who strengthens us. It takes two to tango, however. We have to be willing to take the plunge of faith, and attempt to do what seems impossible and we have to continue to depend on Him. Once we think we are doing it all by ourselves, we give into our fears and sink. Think of times you were called on to handle situations in your life and that of your family that you didn’t see how you could possibly survive, let alone thrive. It seemed like you had to walk on water. But you did it with His help.
The spiritual implications of storms at sea are overwhelming. I wish share with you a conversion story shared with me recently by an old friend. He is a recovering alcoholic. At the time of this event, which was many years ago, he was newly sober but adrift, without God’s meaning to fill the void in His life. For whatever reason, he set out in a sail boat, a rather large one, into the Atlantic Ocean to make his way, all by himself, down the east coast to Florida. He got caught in a hurricane. The boat lost its power, so that he could neither control it nor radio for help. He gave up, believing the Gulf Stream would take him and he would never be found, if indeed the boat even weathered the storm. He was down in the hold, curled up, accepting what he thought his fate to be when Jesus came and sat next to him. Jesus simply said “You will be forgiven” and was gone. My friend decided all was not lost and that he had to take what control he could of the boat. First he wisely made a meal for himself in the galley and then went topside to take down the sails, which he had not done. Eventually, the hurricane subsided and he made his way into the coast, not knowing where he was. He docked at Charleston S.C. He not go on to Florida. Florida was not the intended destination anyway. He said it took him some years to realize what Jesus meant. He meant eventually you will forgive yourself for your previous life. My friend is now in the process of writing a book about his spiritual journey, of which that journey in the sea is a metaphor. Since his rebirth he has helped many, many people.
We can do all things in him who strengthens us, sailing through storms and metaphorically walking on water, if we are willing to take the plunge of faith and if we never forget whose wind is in our sails.
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