Great Expectations

May my true inspiration be a baby laid in a manger; that his life and his words may be for us our guide and our path. Amen.


Expectations.

We all have expectations. We know what we expect from ourselves. We know what we expect from our kids. We even know what our parents expect from us.

Everyone has expectations about the behaviour of everyone else. We all have expectations about our own behaviour. Expectations are seldom met. Sometimes this is because they are set too high. Sometimes this is because they just don’t fit.

Even Mary and Joseph had expectations of Jesus. They expected him to act like every other Jewish boy of his age. In our story today, they made their journey as part of a larger group of family and friends, all from the same area. Mary and Joseph expected Jesus would stay with that group.

Jesus, too, had expectations of his parents which were not met. Jesus expected them to understand what was important to him. He expected them to know where he would be. He did not expect that they would have to search for him or that they would have any reason to worry about him. He knew where he was supposed to be. They should know it too.

In the temple, it would be expected that a boy of his age would just sit and listen. Jesus did not do this. He joined in the discussion between the rabbis as an equal. He asked questions of them and answered some of theirs with great wisdom. This was not what they expected.

We are coming up to a time when we set expectations for ourselves. Has anyone heard of a new year’s resolution? … This is actually two expectations at the same time, or at least it is for me. New year’s resolutions are expectations that we set for the coming year. In many cases, these expectations are hugely unrealistic. There is no way we can keep them and we know it when we make them. This is our second expectation. We expect that we will break our new year’s resolution.

Why do we bother to have expectations? They never seem to come true so what use are they? And why does it seem so important to us that we have them?


I’m going to keep things short today and leave you with a few more thoughts.


Expectations that are too high can beat down our spirits.

Expectations that are too low are uninspiring.

Expectations that are at the edge of our ability can inspire us to do great things.

In the Christmas season, we celebrate the expectation that Christ will be part of our lives and that Christ will come again.

The Bible tells us that God expects us to be “very good.” God does not expect us to be perfect, but we are expected to do our best.

Wrapping It All Up

Could I have all the kids come up here please?

It’s time to light the advent wreath again. How many candles do we light today? Yes, all five. Does anyone remember what the first one stands for? Hope. What colour is it? Purple. (Light hope).

What is hope all about? What does it mean to have hope?
- helps us through bad times
- helps us through fear
- no matter how bad it is, it will get better
- no matter how good it is, it will get better

OK. Does anyone remember what the second candle stands for? Peace. What colour is it? Purple. (Light peace.)

What is peace about? Where can we find peace?
- silence
- our hearts
- the world
- places at war (work toward)
- our families
- our friends
- our enemies

Which candle is next? Joy. What colour is joy? Pink. (Light joy).

Do you remember what we talked about when we first lit this candle? Baptism. Why is baptism about joy?
- God chooses us
- God loves us
- We join a huge family
- We have everyone here to help us keep our promises to God
- We get to help everyone here keep their promises to God

We only have one more candle which we already lit. What is the last purple candle about? Love. (Light love).

Now this one is really important. Well, they all are really, but there is something special about love. Do you know who the Bible tells us to love?
- Our enemies
- Our selves
- God
- Everyone

The Bible tells us something else about love too. It tells us who and what God loves. Can you tell me about God’s loves?
- The world
- Us
- Israel
- Judah
- Creation
- Jesus

We only have one candle left. Does anyone know what the white candle in the middle stands for? Christ. Why do we light this candle today? Christmas. What is Christmas about?
- God loves us so much that he became one of us to experience the world from human perspective
- Giving
- Love
- Hope
- Joy
- Peace

I think this is all something we should celebrate. Let’s say a prayer and light the Christ candle.

Great God of love and light,
We thank you now for the gift
of your presence among us;
for Jesus Christ,
our Light and our Life.
We thank you for the sign of your love
shining brightly in our lives
as we celebrate
the birth of your Son,
our Saviour and our King. Amen.

(Light Christ Candle).

Mary and Elizabeth - A World Upside Down

Could I please have all of the kids come up?

Do you know what we’re going to do now? Yes, we’re going to light the advent candle. We already lit the candles for Hope, Peace and Joy. What do you think this one is for? Today we light the candle for Love. Could someone help me with this candle? …

Now we have a repeat after me prayer. Ready?


Holy and gracious God,
Teach us to love.
Help us to love you,
And to love each other,
As you love us.
With hope we wait for your kingdom.
With peace in our hearts we hear your call.
With joy we remember
That in your love
You came to us
As Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.


Thank you. You can go back and sit down now.


Advent is a time of new beginnings. In the Church calendar the beginning of advent marks the beginning of the new year. Each year in our lectionary we focus on one Gospel. Our good news this year comes from the Gospel of Luke. Saint Luke’s gospel has a couple of very specific focuses which are not as apparent in the other Gospels. He makes it very clear that the message of Jesus is for everyone, not just for the Jews or for any other specific “chosen” people. We are all God’s chosen people. He does, however, say that some are “more chosen” than others. Luke’s Gospel, like the others, gives preference to those who are at the bottom of the ladder and have little or no power. Unlike the other Gospels, Luke makes a special case for women and the poor above all others.


In today’s story we have two very important women. I talked a bit about them last week. Elizabeth is the wife of Zechariah. She is getting older, probably in her mid thirties. She is past the age were it is reasonably safe to have a baby. She has not been able to get pregnant. This means that she has almost no status and her husband, Zechariah has lost most of his. He has no son to carry on his line. They have no one to support them in their old age, which means that they will probably end up as beggars.

Mary is Elizabeth’s niece. She is young, probably about fourteen. She is engaged to be married to Joseph. She is poor but she has a promising future ahead of her.


Does anyone know what happens next in the story?


They both get pregnant.


For Elizabeth, this is a great blessing. Her status and the honour of her husband will be instantly restored. The other women will start talking to her again and including her in their gatherings. The men would start to respect Zechariah again, which would make his job as a priest much easier to do. Their future was full of hope.

For Mary, on the other hand, this was a great scandal. According to the rules of their society, Joseph should abandon her. She would be left to fend for herself. It is unlikely that anyone would ever marry her. She was destined for the life of a prostitute or a beggar if she even survived the pregnancy. She would have little or no medical care because she would have instantly lost all of her family. Her future was bleak.


So how should these two women react to their news? Well, as I see it Elizabeth should be shouting out her joy to the world. And Mary? Mary should be hiding in her parents house trying to figure out some way to salvage her life. These would be reasonable reactions.


How do these women actually react to their news?


Mary immediately sets out to visit Elizabeth and tell her the wonderful news.

Wait a minute. Isn’t Mary supposed to be upset by what has occurred? Isn’t she supposed to be trying to find a way to salvage her life? …


And what does she find when she reaches Elizabeth’s house? Elizabeth is six months pregnant and she hasn’t told anyone. She is hiding out in her house keeping the pregnancy a secret.


There is something seriously wrong here. Mary, who should be keeping her “condition” a secret runs off to spread her story. Elizabeth, whose future has been saved, is hiding away and keeping it secret. What is going on? Everything is upside down. Each of them has had their world turned upside down and each reacts exactly opposite of what would be expected.


What is going on? … God does this to us all the time. God turns our worlds upside down. This story shows us two very different ways to cope with this change. Change is always uncomfortable. Change is also always happening. It is up to us how we greet change. It is up to us to choose to hide from it or to work with it. We can hide from the change, refusing to believe that it is true as long as possible and then grudgingly adapt to our new circumstances like Elizabeth. … Or we can embrace the change, looking for the barest hint of a blessing in it, and find joy in our new opportunities like Mary.

John the Baptist

Could I please have all of the kids come up?

Today we are going to start with the Advent candles. Do you know which candle we light today? Today is the pink candle. Do you know what it stands for? Today we are celebrating the joy of advent. Who is going to help me light the pink candle? Thank you. Now we have a repeat after me prayer …

God of hope and peace.
With joy we listen for your call.
Help us to hear each other
and to find your Word
in the world around us.
Amen.

Could you come with me? We’re going back to the baptismal font.

(Sermon at the font.)

John the Baptist was a smart man. Do you know who John the Baptist was? His mom was Jesus’ mom’s aunt Elizabeth and he was born just a few months before Jesus.

Do you know what John the Baptist did?
- baptised people in the Jordan river
- baptised Jesus
- preached about salvation (what is salvation)
- was put in jail and put to death by Herod
- said that all could be saved, even the tax collectors
- said that God could make anyone a son of Abraham (a Jew)
- said that being born to the right family didn’t make you God’s chosen
- said that what he did was just a small thing, the Messiah was coming to baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
- He preached the good news (gospel) before it was written down
- People thought he might be the Messiah


(Hold up the Bible) This is a very important book. It helps us to learn how to live as people of God. In here it is written in words. Do you know where else God writes the good news? John the Baptist didn’t have a Bible but he knew the words anyway. He could feel them written in his heart. He could also see them written in the world around him. Each and every one of us can do that too. This is a promise that God made to us. This is God’s gift in our lives that we celebrate at Christmas time.


We make a promise back to God. In baptism we make a promise or have a promise made for us. A promise to live as Christ teaches us to live. Christ teaches us in here (the Bible), in here (our hearts) and everywhere (the world).

Who here likes to get people wet? OK, each of you take one of these branches and then do what I do.

(Dip in bowl, fling water, say “remember your baptism”)

Peace

God of hope. We come to you today to listen for your call. Help us to find peace in our souls that we may hear and heed your message for us. Amen.


“Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem.”


(Long Silence)

The world is a clashing cymbal, distracting us from God’s Word.

(Silence)

“Look toward the east, and see your children gathered from the west and east at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them.”


(Long Silence)

We try to look through the distractions toward the message of Christmas.

(Silence)

“The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel at God’s command.”


(Long Silence)

Bethlehem draws near.

(Silence)

Christ has come. Christ is coming. Christ will come again.

When we can silence our thoughts, we can take down the wall that hides the door in our hearts. When we find that door, we find the way of salvation.

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”


(Long Silence)


Would all of the children come forward please.


Last week we lit the first candle, the light of hope. This week we are going to light the candle of peace. … Peace is a very hard thing to find. Have any of you ever found peace? How did it feel? When we find peace, we find God.

Can one of you help me light this candle? Another purple one.

Thank you. Now we are going to do a repeat after me prayer.

Gracious God,
Help us to find peace,
Peace in our hearts,
Peace in our lives,
Peace in the world.
Give us the courage
To follow the path of peace.
Help us to remember
That in peace – we find you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all; and especially unto them that are of the household of faith.



Do you remember the song we sang last week? Can you help us sing it again?

Wait for the Lord, whose day is near. Wait for the Lord, be strong take heart.

Is hope hopeless?

Gracious God, as we draw nearer to Christmas, you call us to remember your message of hope brought to us through your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to hear your call in our worship and in our lives. Amen.


Wait for the Lord, whose day is near. Wait for the Lord: be strong, take heart!

Hope is terrifying. … Just think about that for a moment. … Hope … is … terrifying!

Do you know why I say this?

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

This is a message of hope. Not because of the bad things that are going to happen or the bad things that are happening already, but because of the promise of a future that is different. Hope is terrifying because it is not about things being good right now. Hope is about a future where the evils of today are no more. Hope is a message about the Kingdom of God.

Hope is depressing.

Before this better time comes, we have to live through the bad times. First there is war. Isn’t there always? Then there are natural disasters. We certainly have enough of those. Next we have causes for great distress. Let’s see: famine, poverty, greed, financial collapse, overfishing …. Finally we have “Jerusalem” under siege. God’s church is being attacked from the outside and from within.

From the outside we are being attacked by a number of forces. The society we life in is getting more and more secular. God is being relegated to specific holy days if God is allowed into peoples lives at all. Society is getting more and more individualistic. We are being taught to isolate ourselves from one another. Human contact is being reduced to typing on a keyboard at one another. Spirituality is replacing religion.

From inside God’s people are being divided against each other. We are putting ourselves under siege. Extremists, both conservative and liberal, are trying to impose their views on the whole church. Many have the belief that if you don’t believe exactly what they believe you are wrong and that your belief is a danger to them. Extremists in other faiths are doing the same. Dividing their own faiths and going to war with others.

Hope is tiring.

Our Advent journey is very long. A number of times we have had the war to end all wars. We still have war. For a time, we thought that the whole world was Christian or soon would be. We were wrong. Natural disasters come in waves. Some years there are less than others, but they never truly stop. There always seems to be something that causes us distress.

Is hope hopeless?

No!

Jesus told the parable “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”

We see glimpses of what we hope for. There are times when people work together to bring some justice into the world. In this diocese, we support many refugees as they fight to find peaceful and productive lives for themselves and their families. Just this past week in the Diocese of New Westminster an Anglican Church and a United Church came together to provide sanctuary for a man who faces fourteen years in prison for being gay. Also in New Westminster, a secular authority, a supreme court judge, recognized and upheld church law in civil court. The governments of the world seem to be giving the environment and stewardship of the earth some real consideration.

Hope is a true gift. Hope means that we can get through our fear of what is happening now because of the promise of what is to come. Hope means that
we can live in anticipation of joy instead of the depression of despair. Hope gives us energy today as we look forward to tomorrow.


Could I have everyone 18 and under come forward?

Today we are going to light a candle on the advent wreath as a sign of hope. Can I get some help lighting it? … Thank you.

I need your help teaching everyone a song.

Wait for the Lord, Whose Day is Near.
G G E G G F# F# F#
Wait for the Lord: be strong, take heart.
G A A B B C B E

Reverend Warren’s Advent Message

As we draw nearer to Christmas, we are called to remember Christ’s message of hope and salvation. We live in a time where every advertisement screams “buy this and they will love you.” This is not the message of Advent. God’s gift to us on Christmas day is so expensive that we could never afford to buy it. Instead God comes to us and freely gives all that he is. Remember this as you prepare your own household for Christmas. The best gift we can give is not something that someone could buy for themselves. When we give ourselves to others, give them our time and our love, we have truly given a wonderful gift.

Christ the King

I speak in the name of the one, true and living God: Creator and ruler of the kingdom of heaven. Amen.


Today we celebrate The Reign of Christ or Christ the King.

What is Christ the king of?


How is this different than other kings?


How is Christ different than King David?


King David is the chosen one, the favoured of the God of Jacob. … Both Matthew and Luke talk about Christ being the Chosen one, chosen directly by God.

King David is the anointed of the God of Jacob. … Christ is the Messiah which means the anointed.

King David is the king of all Israel and of Zion, God’s holy city. … Christ is the King of the Jews and the ruler of the kingdom of God. Christ is the king in the new Jerusalem or Zion.

You would almost think that King David and Jesus Christ were kings in exactly the same way. The same words are used to describe them both. They are even in the same royal line. Jesus is a son of the house of David, a member of David’s royal line. Jesus is a direct descendant of David.


Can anyone think of ways in which King David and King Jesus are different?


King David had a palace. … Did Jesus? … Not on Earth anyway.

King David had at least nine wives. Two of which he took from their husbands. Michal was promised to David (essentially married) and then given to Pelti as wife and taken back by David. Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, David took as his mistress and when she became pregnant he set Uriah up to be killed and took Bathsheba as his wife. David’s wife Abigail was the widow of one of David’s enemies. David also married Ahinoam, who may have been Saul’s wife. Finally, David married Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Bath-shua, . We know very little about these wives except that they bore sons for David. David also had concubines. We don’t know how many. David was busy. Who his wives were and how he came to have them was clearly an issue.

The Bible says absolutely nothing about Jesus’ love life. In Jesus’ time it would have been very strange for a Jewish man of his age to be single. It was absolutely expected that a man would marry and have children to carry on his name. Usually when something is unusual or out of the ordinary, the Bible tells us. … Since the Bible doesn’t tell us, I’ll leave it up to you to make your own decisions and to think about what differences those decisions make in how we see and understand Jesus. … It is clear that there were usually women around him. There were often children there. Jesus was obviously comfortable with both. Jesus treated all whom he met and all who travelled with him as his own family. Even those who follow him after his death are his family.

King David had many subjects. These subjects had to obey his decrees or they would be punished. King David had his enemies killed or killed them himself. All of King David’s subjects lived in the boundaries of his kingdom. When King David died, he stopped having subjects. His kingdom passed to his heir.

King Jesus has many subjects. These subjects are asked to obey his teachings and his example. These subjects are asked to love him and to love one another. These subjects are asked to love their enemies. King Jesus died so that we no longer need to be punished. King Jesus’ kingdom has no boundaries in either space or time. Jesus shares his kingdom with his heirs. All of creation shares in the kingdom of Jesus.


Okay, does anyone remember the key similarities between the kingdom of David and the kingdom of Christ?

Both are chosen by God.
Both are the anointed.
Both are king of God’s people.
Both are king of Israel and of Zion.


How are they different?

David’s kingdom is very physical.
Christ’s kingdom is spiritual.

David is very concerned with the continuation of his line (lots of wives and children).
Jesus is also very concerned with the continuation of his line but in a very different way. Jesus’ ‘son’ is the Gospel. Jesus sired a message of forgiveness and hope for all.

David’s kingdom was limited in time and space.
Christ’s kingdom is the Kingdom of God. It is eternal. It is everywhere. It is for everyone.

Rev. Carl Speaks

“I was provoked ...” Yup, earlier this week ... story of the car/garbage. It proviked a very ... pause ... uncharitable - yes, that’s the word - response from me! Mayor John Morgan ... was asked some questions in an interview ... now he’s facing trouble with the bar because of his reponses. Was he provoked? My wife told me the story of lady whose face and hands were torn off in an chimpaneze attack ... Oprah had her on ... questions like surely the chimp was provoked? The fact that this poor lady had to hire police to stand outside door ... to keep people from trying to sneak in and get a picture (for money for the tabloid) ... certainly her situation provoked an awfully terrible response - agreed? So, have you ever been ‘provoked’? What does it usually mean when we talk about being provoked? Not my fault, they started it, I have a good excuse from my behaviour ... When we talk of provoked ... is it our best that comes out or our worst? Usually we talk about provoked and worst. But today ... I want to talk to you about the Bible’s understanding of ‘being provoked’.
The first reading from Samuel talks about Hannah. Childless. She wanted a baby so bad. Her predicament ... provoked four different responses. Her rival ... was provoked to taunt her cruelly and rub it in her nose, to never let her forget her ‘failing’. Uhmmm ... pleasing to God? Nope. But Hannah’s husband ... was provoked ... did you hear how he was provoked? He gave her a double share of the sacrifice ... not because he pitied her (pity is not bad) ... but because he loved her and in love he showed her kindness and favour. Pleasing to God? Yes sire. You are smart folks. Then there was Eli the Priest ... he sees her lips moving but no sound ... and is provoked to tell her ... smarten up woman. You’re drunk. Pleasing? Not so much - but who here hasn’t done and math and come up with the wrong answer. But that is not Eli’s final response. Nope. After he listens to her ... he is provoked again to respond ... “Go in Peace ... may God give you what you ask.” Better? Much. But there is in this passage a fourth provocation ... who? God. God is moved by the tears and the prayer and earnest desire and we are told that “the Lord remembered her and in time she conceived and bore a son.” Not just an old son ... but a son who would become great priest and prophet of the Lord. God is provoked ... His response ... the best. Pleasing? Absolutely - for Hannah, for her husband and for God!
So what the point? What insights am I provoking in you? My hope is ... We are all capable and able to give people our best ... even when they act their worst ... we are capable of giving our best. No matter the moment or the situation ... we can choose ... between what is pleasing to God or what is no or even somewhere in between. We have no excuse when it is anything less than pleasing to God. But the Lord remembers us .... blesses us, love us, forgives us, pities us. And so He provokes to keep trying. That is why I think that even when Hannah was provoked severely ... what did she do ... not strike back but year after year ... bore it and brought it before God ultimately. I wonder ... what would have happened if she had been provoked to come before God earlier ... would it have been different? Spared years of suffering and torment? Maybe. How often do we do the same ... carry stuff around ... suffer needlessly before we are finally provoked to bring it to God? I would suggest ... stop waiting. You may not get what you want but you will get an answer and you will know God’s favour. And when you know God favour ... well that leads to our next point.
The reading from Hebrews puts ‘being provoked’ into a whole different light. With confidence ... for He who promised is faithful ... let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, but encouraging one another. Did you catch that? Our christian duty and the requirement of living for Christ ... is ... provoking others ... (not a licence to dirt disturb, noooo) to provoke to good deeds and love! When you know God’s favour ... you will show God favour ... provoking good from others. So do you know how to push people’s buttons? Oh yes. We are god at that ... well, I am! But are you as good as pushing people’s good buttons? What would it take to for you to be willing and ready to give your best ... then do that for others ... at least try, and try and try. Think about that line ... for the one who promised is faithful ... meaning Jesus/Father ... faithful ... even when we offer worst ... They offer best/blessing/favour. Sooooo did you not promise ... proclaim the good news of Christ in your words and example (BAS)? You Promised!!! The one who promises is faithful ... am I provoking you? I hope! Awhile ago ... people talked about random acts of kindness ... we are not supposed to random in our kindness. We are supposed to be midful and purposeful in our kindness.
Which brings us to our last reading - the gospel. Jesus is provoked ... what set him off? The disciples ... they have come from worshipping God and not even off the steps ... the dsciples turn to worshipping the big stones (the building). Wow! I wonder if Jesus response is so strong because the disciples response in worship wasn’t wow, what an awesome God we have (or better, what an awesome God love me). Those disciples ... they are unique right ... we never ‘worship our stones/buildings’?) House and home shows ... the new addiction, the new modern idol! Jesus is provoked ... to encourage them to love ... not the temple but the God who is over it, in it, through out and beyond it. In essence Jesus says ... this will wont be here some day ... what will you worship then - will you still worship God? And the disciples are provoked ... responding ... when (want a sign). Was their response pleasing to Jesus? Not so much. Jesus again tries to provoke them to faithfulness. Forget what else is happening .... it is in God ‘s hands. Jesus provokes the disciples ... stop looking for the sign of kingdom come and be the sign the Kingdom come ... love and good deeds.
May Jesus love provoked you ... renew your commitment to try and try and try to offer people what is pleasing to God. Let whatever the world offers you provoke in you a faith-full response, full of God favour. May God provoke in you the intent each day to provoke from others their best, what is pleasing to God. And finally, may the incredible sacrifice of Jesus provoke in you again incredible gratitude and thanks so much so that you are willing and ready for kingdom come ... kingdom may come in you and through you.

Remember to Remember

I speak to you in the name of the one who died so that we might be free. Amen.

I can remember growing up without any real understanding of remembrance day. I was born in the United States during the Vietnam war. This war left many people with anger and distrust which was aimed at the US government and bled over onto the military. It seems to me that from this time until just recently, the importance of having people who are willing to die for our freedom was lost. It just wasn’t necessary. The need for remembrance was dead, or so we thought.

I’m sorry that this is not true. These men and women deserve to be remembered, but I wish that the rolls did not need to get longer. Once again soldiers are being called to die for the freedom of others. It is even more upsetting to realize that this need has always been there, we just ignored it. As the world becomes more connected, it becomes harder to hide from the reality that there are people who are not free: people who are unable to go to school, children who are forced to fight to protect drug crops, men and women who are convinced that it is somehow a good thing to blow themselves up in a marketplace full of women and children. The world is not at peace.

Two thousand years ago a poor man from the region of Galilee went to battle with the weapons available to him. He used his words, his message, to fight for the rights of the downtrodden. He fought for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. He fought and he died for this cause: for our freedom. Our brothers and sisters in the military fight this same fight. They carry this cross. They march in front of us, protecting us on our way to God’s Kingdom. We thank them for their service. We remember their sacrifice. We look forward to seeing them again.

Abundance

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.


Abundance. – Can anyone define this word for me?


Dictionary.com lists 4 definitions:

1. an extremely sufficient or over sufficient quantity or supply
2. overflowing fullness
3. affluence; wealth
4. the number of atoms of one isotope of an element divided by the total number of atoms in a mixture of the isotopes.

Let’s not worry about that last one. That leaves: a huge number, overflowing fullness, and wealth. Which of these meanings did we see in today’s Gospel?


“Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

They rich put in from their wealth. This meaning of abundance appears a number of times in the Bible and it usually is not a good thing. Take the 5th and 6th verses of psalm 49 for instance: “Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?” The Bible is not a welcoming place for the rich. Remember just a while ago when we heard how hard it is for a rich man to enter heaven? Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

If this is the message here for us, I am in trouble. I consider myself to be rich. I don’t have a huge amount of money, in fact if I include my student debt I don’t have any, but I do have an abundance of things. I don’t have to worry about where my next meal will come from. I can give without it changing my lifestyle.


Maybe if we look at another meaning of abundance things will be better. – Let’s try the first one: lots and lots. When the Bible uses this meaning it is usually talking about food; some sort of harvest (an abundance of grain) or about livestock (sheep in abundance). In Canada we have this abundance. We have enough food to go around and more. Unfortunately this doesn’t mean that everyone gets what they need. I think that as a country we are getting better at this but we’re not there yet.

How does this meaning of abundance lead us toward Christ? -- How does it either help or hinder our ability to live Christ’s message? -- Any thoughts?


So far we have the abundance of wealth and the abundance of over sufficiency. Shall we try to go three for three?


Overflowing fullness. What does this really mean? I’ve given Biblical examples of the other two. Can anyone think of an example of this one? You don’t need to reference it, just a couple of words are fine.


What comes to mind for me is God’s abundance of love or God’s abundance of grace. From psalm 106 we have “For their sake he remembered his covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.” This meaning is usually used to talk about God, but not every time. Matthew says “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

This abundance overflows. For God this means overflowing love, grace, salvation, and more. For us it means that what is inside will come out. It’s what we are full of. – We all have this abundance too. It can be a good thing. It can also be a bad thing. Likely it is some of each.


Let’s go back to our Gospel. What was the abundance in the widow’s heart? Her heart was bursting with trust in God’s abundance. She trusted that God would provide for her in her poverty. Because of that trust she didn’t need to hold on to the little money that she had because she had everything that she needed.


What do we hold dear in our hearts? What do we have such a passion for that it will overflow? Where does our abundance lie?

God's Time, Not Ours

I speak to you in the name of the one true and living God: Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End. Amen.


What is All Saints day really about? … Who are the saints?

I actually want an answer to that. Who are the saints?

In our tradition there are three kinds of saints. Two are directly referenced in the Bible and the third is only hinted at. Oddly enough, it is the third meaning that we most often use. The ones who get a capital ‘S’ – those declared Saints by the church for what they did in their lives. What they lived for and what they died for. These Saints are important because they remind us of the cost and the purpose of Christ’s message. This does not mean that we are all called to get our ‘s’ capitalized.

One of the other meanings of saint that is used in the Bible refers to those who have already died who were Christians. This is the communion of saints. When we think of the Anglican communion or the Roman Catholic Church, we think that’s a lot of people in communion with each other. These are nothing compared to the communion of saints. Every person who has died in the past 2000 or so years and who had faith in Jesus Christ is a member of this communion. They are the Tradition of our church. They are our past. They foretell our future. (And I firmly believe our church has a future).

We are the final group of saints. When Paul opens his second letter to the Corinthians with “To the church of God that is in Corinth, including all the saints throughout Achaia” he is referring to us. This is where the Mormon church got their name: The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. Those who have faith in Christ and live their lives according to his teaching are the living saints.

That’s a lot of saints. We have a way too much celebrating to do.


So what does this all have to do with today’s gospel reading?

It’s about time!

It’s about God’s time. The Greeks had two distinct concepts of time. The first, chronos is the time that we use every day. The time is says on our watches and clocks. The time that says supper will be ready in 15 minutes. The time that says today I am one day older than yesterday. Time marches on. This time is measurable and moves ever onward at a consistent pace. Chronos does not stand still. This is not God’s time.

Kairos on the other hand does stand still. Or it sometimes seems to. Kairos is God’s time. Eternity can be measured only in kairos. It has no meaning in chronos. Eternity is not endless time. It is all time. In the eleventh chapter of John, we get many examples of God’s time: some are obvious, some are less so. Right at the beginning we are told that “Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair.” This hasn’t happened yet, but it will. This is talking about Mary anointing Jesus for burial (which is done after someone is dead). Jesus isn’t dead yet. In God’s time sequence doesn’t matter. The order in which things happen is not important, only that they happen.

Later Martha says “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” She tells us something very important about God’s time. Christ being alive in the world is not an event fixed in the past. This is chronos thinking. In God’s time Christ is eternally (remember eternally is for all time) coming into the world. We are not living between the first and second coming of Christ. We are living in a world where the coming of Christ is an ongoing reality.


So what does all this about kairos and chronos, God’s time and the time on our clocks, have to do with the saints?

How many groups of saints did I say there were?

I was thinking in chronos time. In God’s time there is only one group. There is another term that is used for the saints in God’s time. They are called the “cloud of witnesses.” All those who have witnessed, who are witnessing, and who will witness to Christ’s eternal message. Now this is a BIG COMMUNION!

It is very important to remember this when we feel like what we do doesn’t matter, when we see things in the world that are not just and think that we cannot change them. It is true that one person has very little, if any, influence on what happens in the world (unless that person happens to be Bill Gates). Even the president of the United States can’t get much done unless he is backed by a large number of congressmen and senators.

But if we choose those issues that are part of Christ’s message, we are not alone. Not everyone in the cloud of witnesses will pick the same issue, but we are a huge force which spans a lot of time (all of it). What is there that we cannot do?

But what does all of this talk of kairos and chronos have to do with what we actually read today?

There is a very important message in our gospel reading that means much more in this light. “Jesus wept.” This is the shortest verse in the Bible and one of the most significant. Jesus did not grieve for the death of Lazarus. In God’s time, death has very little meaning. Lazarus was alive and would be alive again. No, Jesus wept because he felt Mary’s pain. God feels our pain when we grieve. God understands that we live by our clocks and only have glimpses of God’s time.

So remember these two things.


With the cloud of witnesses behind us, we can do anything.


Jesus wept.

Rabbouni, My Teacher

Rabbouni, my teacher, I call to you. Open our eyes that we may see your glory. Open our hearts that we may let it into our lives. Open our ears that we may be directed in sharing it. Amen.


For the past few weeks we have been wandering through a section of the Gospel of Mark that is all, in some way, about vision. It starts in Chapter 8, where the Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus. He refuses. That is followed by his disciples being unable to understand what Jesus has done and what he is saying.

Along comes a blind man.

Jesus takes him aside where no one else, not even the disciples, can see. Jesus cures him and sends him on his way, making sure that none see that he has been cured.

Curious.

This kind of thing continues for a while. The disciples have moments of insight followed by a complete lack of understanding. Jesus refuses to prove anything. He has crowds around him and he warns them about the cost of following.

We skip forward a ways into chapter 10. James and John want Jesus to do something for them. Jesus asks them “What is it you want me to do for you?” They ask for places of honour when Jesus comes into his glory. They ask to be seen and recognized as special disciples. They have no idea what their request will cost them, or even what they are really asking for.

Along comes a blind man.

The blind man throws off his cloak and comes to Jesus. Jesus again asks “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man says “Rabbouni, let me see again.”

Oh, and somewhere in the middle of this we have the transfiguration. Jesus revealed in all of his glory and claimed by God as his Beloved Son, where some of the disciples call Jesus Rabbi.

This is all about vision but it is very confusing. Everything is upside down. We have disciples who see bits and pieces but don’t really understand what they see. We have crowds who follow Jesus even though they aren’t allowed to see anything and are warned of the extreme cost of following. We have blind men who get to see.

And we have two very similar words: rabbi and rabbouni. Similar but very different. A bit of Boring theology (that is to say from theologian Eugene Boring). The word rabbouni, which is used only twice in the New Testament, is a reverent form of rabbi used by rabbis to address God. Mary uses this word to address Jesus after the Resurrection.

The disciples, after seeing Jesus in his full glory address him as their personal teacher. The blind man, not being able to see a thing, addresses Jesus as a teacher of the faithful praying to God.

Why is it so difficult to see? What is Jesus trying to say to us?

I think it is about perspective. When we have many things, it is very hard to see what we need and what we merely want. In this same section, Jesus says “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

All of us here have things. We all see things that we want. We live in a society that is intent on consuming. Does this mean that we are doomed? I don’t think so. But it does mean that staying focussed on what is really important is very hard. I think I jumped ahead of myself there a bit. Even seeing what is important can be nearly impossible.

Are we being asked to blind ourselves to the physical world so that we can see God? Once again I don’t think so. I think we are being called to open our eyes in a different way. To change our perspective. Jesus said that it is essentially impossible for the rich, and I think we all qualify as rich, to enter the kingdom of God, but he also said that “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

Why did Bartimaeus throw off his cloak?

His cloak was his livelihood. It identified him as a beggar and brought him enough food to live. When he went to Jesus he had faith that he would not need to beg again. He did not ask Jesus to heal him. He prayed to God that he might see. And he did that as our teacher. We would do well to learn from him.

I don’t think any of us are as blind as the disciples or as visionary as Bartimaeus. We are all somewhere in between. By trusting in God and asking God’s help, we can work towards seeing more. Not only does God call us to him, but he meets us where we are. Where ever that might be.

I’m going to leave you with one final thought from Helen Keller. She was once asked if there was anything worse than being blind. Her answer was “Yes. Having no vision.”

God's Call

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.


“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind.” Job asked and God answered. It wasn’t the answer that Job wanted, but it was an answer directly from God. If only it were that easy today.

God, why is there suffering in the world?
…
Silence.
…
God, why is my mother sick?
…
Silence.
…
Important questions with no answer from God. It used to be so simple. You could ask God why and he would come to you, in a dream or a pillar of fire or a burning bush, and tell you the answer. Or if you didn’t happen to be a prophet you could ask one. Sometimes he even spoke to large groups of people and to absolutely ordinary people in dreams and through angels. God, why don’t you talk to us anymore?

We do have prophets today and those who call themselves prophets. The first are mostly ignored and the others probably should be.

God, should I marry Persephone?
…
Silence.
…
Did I pick an obscure enough name? Sometimes what we need to do is listen to our heart. This is not always as easy as it sounds. Is my heart calling me to this person or is it calling me to be a parent? Am I getting married because it is what is expected of me? Am I getting married because I am tired of being alone? Listening to our heart is difficult and we often get it wrong.

God, when are the mines going to reopen?
…
Silence.
…
Around Sydney there are those who still feel that the government should support them because their grandfathers lost their livelihood when the mines closed. Where is God’s answer for them? What happens when we miss the answer or ignore it because it is not what we want to hear?


A couple of weeks ago I caught an interview on CBC with Richard Dawkins. Does everyone know who he is? If you don’t, he is probably the most famous atheist. He has written several books explaining why God cannot exist.

He had an example of what he considers proof. In everything that has a larynx or voice box there is a nerve which runs directly from the brain to it. In fish (yes fish have voice boxes or their equivalent) that nerve runs in a straight line. In mammals, that nerve runs down the neck, around the aorta, and back up to the voice box. This is the same placement as in the fish but our necks are a little different (we have one). In a giraffe, that nerve is over 15 feet long to connect two things that are about a foot apart. Dawkins says that if a Giraffe was designed by God, this 14 foot detour would never happen.

I feel sorry for Dr. Dawkins. I don’t believe in his idea of God either. Such a god would make me very sad. His god does not work through love, instead he works through force. You will be this way because it is perfect.

God did not call the giraffe to be perfect. He called it to be a giraffe. And it was good. I think the giraffe is a wonderful example to learn from. It shows us how God works.

Warning. This is only a dramatization. This is not God actually talking, but it might have been.

psst, hey giraffe … yeah you … the food is up there.
You can reach it. Stretch. I know you can do it.
See I told you you could do it.
There’s another one just a little higher.
No, not that one, the one over there.
Maybe if you stretch a little more.
There, now you can reach the food that no one else can get.

Notice that God did not say “hey you nerve there, what you’re doing is stupid, come over here and be shorter.” Where that nerve is has nothing to do with God’s call for the giraffe to be GIRAFFE.

God calls us to be what and who we are. This is not always what and who we want to be. God does not call us to be perfect just to be very good. God forgives our mistakes and makes use of them.

Is there a question that is closer to home?

God, when will the fish come back?
…
Is it silence or is God calling?

Our Thanks Offerings to God

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.


Happy thanksgiving everyone. Today we give thanks to God for all of the gifts that he has given to us. I’m going to need lots of help from you today because we are all giving thanks today.

First, what are some examples of things to give thanks for?
- children
- food
- harvest

(Full list from the parish to come).

In just a moment I am going to hand out pencils and paper. On each piece of paper write down or draw one thing that you are thankful for. There should be plenty of paper. These are called thanks offerings. In a little while, we will collect them and offer them to God. Once you have written your own thanks offerings, please look to see if there is someone that you can help write theirs.



(Time passes)


(Place thanksgivings on the altar)

Please turn to page 860 in your Book of Alternative Services. We will say psalm 111 together as a prayer (please say every line).

(Read psalm prayer to follow).

The List From Our Parish:

- A Free Country
- A Place to Live in Relative Peace
- Ability to Assist in a Church Related Activity
- Ability to Provide Food For My Family
- Ability to Work
- Able to Be Here
- Abundance
- Air
- Air Conditioning
- All God’s creatures
- All of God’s Gifts
- An Interesting Life
- Animals
- Apples
- Balls
- Bananas
- Beauty
- Beets
- Being Canadian
- Best Friend
- Bird Song
- Birds (best guess)
- Books
- Canada
- Cars and Trucks
- Children
- Christian Life
- Church
- Clothing
- Coffee
- Coming Home For Thanksgiving
- Community
- Computer
- Cousins
- Culture
- Dirt bike
- Doctors
- Doggy
- Education
- Electricity
- Enough
- Every Day We Can Help Our Family
- Everything
- Eyesight
- Faith
- Fall Leaves
- Family
- Farmers
- Flowers (best guess)
- Food
- Freedom
- Freedom of Religion
- Freedom of Speech
- Freedom to Worship
- Friends
- Fun
- Games
- Gas
- God
- God’s Blessings
- God’s Gifts
- Good Fortune
- Grandchildren
- Grandparents
- Gravy
- Green Food
- Hair
- Happiness
- Harvest (land and sea)
- Health
- Health Care
- Heat
- Help Controlling Anger
- Higher Power
- Highland Manor
- Holidays
- Home
- Hope
- Husband
- Ingonish
- Jesus
- Job
- Kind Things We Do For Others
- Knowledge
- Laughter
- Life
- Lots of Other Things
- Love
- Love of God
- Love of Music
- Love of Others
- Ministry
- Money
- Moose
- Movies
- Music
- Myself
- Nature
- Neighbours
- Nephews
- Nieces
- Not Being In A Place Struck By Disasters
- Not Having to Choose Between Groceries and Rent
- Nurses
- Opportunity to Live Here
- Our Hospitals
- Parents
- Peace
- Pears
- Pets
- Pharmacy
- Pie
- Planet
- Plants
- Plenty
- Prayers that have been answered in times of sickness
- Pumpkins (Jack-o-lanterns)
- Quiet
- Rain for our Gardens
- Rainbows
- Relationship with God
- Religion
- Rev. Warren
- Rev. Warren’s Family
- Rev. Warren’s Voice
- Right to Move Around Freely
- Right to Vote
- Safe Fishing Season
- Saturday Mornings
- Scholarships
- School
- Serving the Lord
- Sewers or Servers (both good choices)
- Shelter
- Siblings
- Skidoo
- Smell of Salt Air
- Smiles
- Snow
- Snowmen (maybe)
- Soap
- Specific people (various)
- Spiritual Gifts
- St. Andrew’s
- St. John’s
- Strength
- Sunrise
- Sunset
- Sunshine
- Teeth
- Television (best guess)
- The Promise of the Second Coming
- This Beautiful Country
- Those who decorated the Church
- Time Spent With Loved Ones Now Gone
- Toys
- Trees
- Turkey
- Understanding
- Vet
- Warm Home
- Water
- Wealth
- Wheels
- Wife
- Windows
- Wood
- Wrench

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly - October 4, 2009

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our rock and our redeemer.

Today we are going to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly. Has anyone here heard of it? … I thought so.

Job was a good man. He did everything right and he did it all for the right reasons. He was a very good man. So along comes this Satan guy, in this story he is one of God’s scouts, who says “this man is just too good to be true. I’ll just go convince God to test him so I can prove he really isn’t this good.” So Satan convinces God to test Job. Here comes the bad. Some really bad things happen to Job. In fact, a lot of extremely bad things happen to him. It gets really ugly.

Good person, bad things, ugly situation.

This isn’t how it is supposed to happen, but it does.

Did anyone here watch “Little Mosque on the Prairie” this past week? For those who don’t know the series, it is about a small town called Mercy where the small Muslim community worship in the downstairs of the Anglican Church. In last week’s episode, a new Anglican priest comes into the community. He is very religiously intolerant. He wants the mosque out of the church. In the end, he invites them to stay because he realizes that there will be too much backlash from his congregation if he doesn’t. In his sermon he talks about loving your enemies, but always remember that they are your enemies.

Good things, bad person, ugly situation.

This isn’t how it is supposed to happen, but it does.

Both of these stories are exaggerations of life as we know it. Bad things happen to good people. Bad people do good things. And if that weren’t bad enough. Good things happen to bad people and good people to bad things. Where is the justice?

Job isn’t the only book in the Bible that looks for the meaning in bad situations. Many of the psalms and most of lamentations do this just for a start. One of my favourite psalms is psalm 137. By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept. It is a cry for justice. The people of Israel are living in exile under harsh rulers. They are miserable. The call out to God “O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy the one who pays you back for what you have done to us! Happy shall he be who takes your little ones, and dashes them against the rocks.” They are angry. They are looking for meaning in the bad things that have happened to them.

Those in exile were trying to be good people. Their situation was very bad. Their emotions got ugly.

This isn’t how it is supposed to happen, but it does.

This last story is much easier to identify with. It is not talking about people who are perfect. It is not talking about people whose faults are so over the top that they become comedic. It is not idealized. It is human and real. It is about people whose lives and livelihood are torn from them. Like real people, they get angry and want revenge.

How do we deal with a world that isn’t fair? What is our response to injustice?

If we follow Job’s example, we continue along stoically. We accept the bad and the good never complaining about our lot in life. Never trying to avoid or fix the bad things that happen to us. Job is a great character to help us explore the meaning in the bad things in our lives, but he is not very human.

If we follow the example of the new priest in the small town of Mercy, our motives are irrelevant as long as we do the right thing. This is very human but it isn’t very Christian.

If we follow the example set out in psalm 137, we look at our lot in life. We get angry at what is unjust. We yell at God. We get mad at God. We ask God why. And if we continue on this path, what is the next step?

As I see it we have two choices, with many shades of grey in between. We can stay angry. We can leave the church and turn our backs on God. We can be bitter. We can live just to better our own lives.

Or we can use our anger to fuel change. We can look for ways to change things so that the world is at least a little better. Sometimes we can’t improve our own lot but we can pretty much always find something that we can do to improve life for someone else.


What is your choice?

Blessing of the Book Bags - September 26, 2009

Mark 9:38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

42 "If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 44 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., 46 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

49 "For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."


Call up the kids.

Did you hear what I just read?

(Wait)

What do you think it meant?

(Wait)
(Interactive)

- The body here is the Body of Christ.
- Circle of friends.
- Peer pressure.
- A friend who makes you do bad things isn’t a friend.
- Jesus is saying that it is better to have just a couple of good friends than to have a lot of people that you call friends who really aren’t.


What is salt?

(Wait)

“For everyone will be salted with fire.” What do you think Jesus meant by this? … We will be purified or forgiven.

“Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?” What do you think Jesus meant by this? … Jesus sent us out to make the world “taste” better. If we aren’t doing this why are we Christian?

“Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.” What do you think Jesus meant by this? … First, be your own person. Don’t just try to be what others want you to be. Second, don’t make life worse for others. Try to make it better.



Now I need you to help me bless the book bags. Repeat after me please.

Almighty God, …
you never stop calling us to learn, …
you sent the prophets to teach us, …
you sent your son into the world to teach us, …
you send your spirit into us that we might learn. …
Send your spirit upon us today …
that we might be both teachers and students. …
Bless us and bless these bags. …
Help us to follow your example …
as we enter into this new school year. …
Help these bags to carry us through the year …
as we learn and grow …
into the disciples you call us to be.
Through our saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The Search for Wisdom - September 20, 2009

Holy God, help us to find your truth through human words. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


Once again we are asked to listen to Wisdom. But what is Wisdom and how do we hear it? Does Wisdom have the same message for everyone?

My answer for that last question would probably be yes and no. Today I am going to share some of my thoughts about Wisdom. I am not going to try to define Wisdom or to tell you what Wisdom says to me.


Our first question. When I believe that I have discovered or understood some bit of God’s Wisdom is it helpful to share it with others? Yes. I find that talking to others about important things helps me to understand them better: to explore what they mean and to determine if they are truly important or just seemed so at the time. It helps me to refine my understanding: to keep the wheat and discard the chaff.

I don’t believe that I have the right to keep God’s Wisdom to myself. It isn’t mine to keep. I am also sure that I am not perfect in identifying God’s Wisdom. No one is. The only way I can be sure that I have found some of it is to keep looking, to keep paying attention.


Second question. Is it helpful to receive Wisdom that someone else has discovered. … Absolutely! It does not always have the same meaning to me. In fact it seldom does. But the Wisdom found by others usually leads me to my own discoveries. Even if I absolutely do not agree with what someone else sees as Wisdom from God I can learn about myself from that contrast. I also have to remember that I may be the one who is wrong or that neither one of us is wrong. There is a wonderful book called “You don’t have to be wrong for me to be right” by the orthodox Jewish Rabbi, Brad Hirschfield which explores the idea that everyone is a child of God. We may be called by God in different ways, but we are all called by God. Trying to understand what someone else believes and why they believe it can only help me understand better what I believe and why.

Third question. How do I look for Wisdom? Mostly I look for Wisdom by paying close attention to the world around me. I try to live into the idea that every moment the world may reveal some aspect of God to me. I often don’t succeed at this but I try. This is part of what is called living a sacramental life. Conducting ones life with the understanding that everything that we have is a gift from God and everything we do is a gift to God. Every moment is an opportunity to draw closer to God. The sacraments of the church are focussed examples of this.

Each of the sacraments tells us something about God’s call to us, about how we are reflections of God. For example: in baptism, we find that we are called to be part of a community. We are expected to care for each other. To teach each other. To support each other. To love each other. To come together and do all of this as a group exploring our faith together. This insight into baptism is by no means complete. We could do an extensive workshop on baptism, or on any sacrament for that matter, and still only touch on what it means. This is part of the glory of God’s gift to the church.


Now what does all of this have to do with what we read together this morning? James says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” I think this is a perfect quote to summarise sacramental living. It tells us just how we can look for Wisdom. God is always looking for ways to connect with us. Unfortunately the society we live in teaches us to look for ways to disconnect. I feel absolutely blessed by being here, North of Smokey, where this much less true that back in Vancouver. Still, it happens. I have to remind myself that it is only a short walk to get to the co-op and that I don’t need to drive. By walking I remain part of the world I am moving through. By getting into the car I isolate myself from it. At the same time, the distance between Neil’s Harbour and Ingonish gives us the idea that we are separate from each other. That same car eliminates the reality of this separation but we still act as if it was a two hour walk.

Every time we draw near to another person we draw near to God. Every time we draw near to someone that we don’t know very well we learn something new about God, after all we are, each and every one of us, made in God’s image.

This brings us back to Wisdom. How do we recognize Wisdom in each other and in the world around us?

Wisdom is more precious that jewels.
We trust Wisdom in our heart.
Wisdom does only good, never harm.
Wisdom works with willing hands.
Wisdom provides for us.
Wisdom never sleeps.
Wisdom makes the best use of what is available.
Wisdom is always worthwhile.
Wisdom keeps us clothed and safe.
Wisdom provides for those in need.
Wisdom perseveres in difficult times.
Wisdom can be recognized in those who embrace her.
Wisdom can be passed on to others.
Wisdom preserves the dignity of all.
Wisdom is never confusing.
Wisdom is constantly active.
Following Wisdom leads to rejoicing.
There are many good teachings but the teaching of Wisdom is better than all others.
Wisdom is not always the easiest or most appealing choice.


Wisdom is truly the most divine spouse that any of us could possibly have. As we draw nearer to God, we find that God has already drawn near to us.

Thanks be to God!

Rosa's Response

THE WORLD IS NOT A TRASHCAN. THE WORLD HAS NOWHERE TO GO .SO WE HAVE TO RESPECT THE WORLD .NO WORLD .NO PEOPLE .NO HABTAT .NO NOTHING.

Promise and Warning - September 13, 2009

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.


Promise and warning.

Or is it just warning ….

Proverbs: Wisdom says “You haven’t listened to me and now I will laugh at you in your troubles.”

James: “The tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature and is itself set on fire by hell.”

Ouch.

Mark: “Get behind me Satan.” And “Those who want to save their life will lose it.”

These are not very cheery lessons. There is great truth in them but they are not the most upbeat.


Last year I was preaching in my mother’s home church about “Take up your cross and follow me.” Her church is going through great changes. According to the guidelines set up in Vancouver, they are not “sustainable” yet they continue to be an active force in their community and to cover their expenses plus a bit. With every change in their programs and building use, they are threatened with closing. They have been like this for more than ten years and it takes a toll.

What does it mean to “take up your cross and follow me?”

Warning and promise ….

If we focus on the bad, we will reap only evil. Warning. Many bad things happen in our lives. Many bad things happen around the world. Who here has ever watched the news? … Not asleep yet. That’s a good sign. All we have to do is watch the news to be told how bad things are in the world.

“Take up your cross and follow me.”

Change your perspective ….

These readings are full of promise. Mark speaks of the evil of setting our minds on human things. What if we set our minds on divine things? The promise is left hanging there, not explicit but definitely there. “Those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

Promise ….

Wisdom speaks of condemnation for those who don’t listen. Ah, but if you do listen to what she says …. “Those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.” Hallelujah, we’re saved! All we have to do is listen to wisdom!

Promise and warning.

What is wisdom. Who is wisdom. “Who do you say that I am.” This is a question that we all have to answer for ourselves.


How many of you here today have ever had contact with a teacher? … Good, still no sleepers. How many have had a really good teacher … a favourite? … A really bad one? …

How many of you have dealt with a pharmacist? Good? … Bad? … How about a flag person? I know it’s always bad when we see one but are they bad flag people? Or Good ones?

Why is it that we can have a really bad or really good teacher but not pharmacist or flag person? Trust. We trust that the pharmacist will give us the right medication. We trust that the flag person is not going to let us go until it is safe and that they are not going to keep us waiting unless it is unsafe to go. They may be talkative or silent, friendly or very clear that they would rather be fishing. But we trust that they will do their job.

Teachers do something much more personal. True, they provide us with a certain amount of data. Dry facts for our consumption. But a teacher who only does that probably ends up in the “bad” column. A good teacher helps us explore how we think. They guide us as we learn how to interpret that provided data for ourselves. They influence our choices as we are learning to interpret the world. This is incredibly powerful. A teacher can be instrumental in the direction we take in our lives. They can help us to fall in love with a subject or drive us away from it forever.

I don’t know about you, but for each subject I have a teacher who is associated with it. When I first took French I loved it. I had a great teacher who encouraged me and helped me to explore a new language. The next year I had a teacher who led me to hate French for many years. Teachers have power.

“We who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Warning and promise.

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters.” Who here is not a teacher?

- Any of you who raised your hands … I don’t believe you.
--- or ---
- Either you’ve all fallen asleep or your teachers did a good job.

We are all teachers. People pay attention to what we say and do. This means that we have to think about how we act and what we say. Just a couple of days ago I was walking with my children and several youth were out walking as well. One of them dropped his pop can, stepped on it, and kicked it to the side of the road. Where do you think he learned to do this?

“The heavens declare the glory of God.” This promise can be seen all around us. This land screams at us to pay attention.

The warning can be seen every day as we walk down the street. What happens if we don’t respond? Next time you are out for a walk pay attention. Look around you: in the ditch, on the side of the street, down by the water. The world has become our ashtray.

The heavens declare the glory of God. How can we afford to do any less?