Sermon: Setting Priorities

          You all know that I'm kind of a stickler about setting goals and finding ways to achieve them.  I do this in my own life, and I push for us to do it as a church at each annual meeting.  But maybe what I should be doing is asking that we set our priorities as a church. 

          The disciples were arguing on the road to Capernaum.  Christ had set His own priority as they passed quietly through Galilee, not engaging with anyone.  He didn't want anyone to know, because right now, His aim was to teach His disciples what they needed to know.  There were other times for healing, teaching crowds of people in parables, and still other times for private prayer and meditation.  This was the time He set aside for teaching the disciples.

          So He asked them to explain what they were arguing about.  Their silence spoke volumes.  They had been arguing over who was the greatest among them.  Every single one of them knew that this was not something Jesus would be impressed with, and they figured His disappointment with them would be quite clear.  So they remained silent.  Perhaps this was a situation of "It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."  (Maurice Switzer, Mrs. Goose; Her Book) 

          But Christ instead, decided to teach them, explaining not only their goal – that of being first – but how to achieve it – by being last of all and servant of all.  Their priority must be in serving those He came to save.  Their responsibility was to welcome everyone, from the smallest child to the tax collector in their own midst.  By doing that, they welcomed Christ, and in welcoming Christ, they welcomed God. 

          Easy words to say, but very difficult words to follow.  How do you set priorities like that?  Our Psalm, Old Testament and New Testament lessons talk about words reflecting where we want our priorities to be, what we want them to reflect.  We hope for wisdom, hope that our actions will reflect wisdom – we pray in the Lord's Prayer, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done.  But how do we ensure that we don't listen to the "counsel of the wicked"?  How do we avoid the words of the ungodly?  How do we make our actions reflect the priorities *set by God*?

          Some of you may have seen the movie, "Witness."  In it, we learn something of the Amish people, and that they avoid modern technology. They have no TV sets in their homes, no telephones inside the home, and electricity is hooked into the barn but not the house. Such a lifestyle seems to us very harsh and rigorous, but an Amish bishop once explained why it is the Amish live this way. He suggested that most technology had in fact had a negative effect on people's lives. Television was a good example. It brought violence and poor ethical values into the home, so much so that many people would like to watch less TV but find they can't.

          Does this mean the Amish are against modern technology? No, explained the bishop. The Amish simply want to keep it in its proper place. The Amish aren't against telephones. In fact he'd had one installed down the lane from his house. A telephone was handy to have in an emergency or to call distant family and friends. But why bring it into the house. "Telephones intrude into the most precious moments of life." said the bishop. "You may be talking to your children or sharing something important with your wife; if the phone rings, you allow it to interrupt what you're saying. The family can be at prayer, and if the phone rings you will stop and answer it. You could be with your wife in bed, and you will allow the ringing telephone to interrupt what you are doing there!"

          Similarly electricity could be a good thing, if kept in its proper place. The Amish in his community had electricity in their barns to refrigerate their milk, but they kept it out of their homes. Why? Because they felt it disrupted the natural rhythms of life. With electricity people stay up late instead of going to bed. With electricity people listen to radios and watch TV that involve them with the outside world rather than their own community.

          What about tractors? If the Amish will use electricity in their barns, why not tractors in their fields? The Bishop explained that with a tractor one person can plow their field on their own. But in using a horse drawn plow the whole family needed to be involved. So rejecting the tractor was a way to create family solidarity.

          The Amish have perhaps given more thought to this issue than most of us have. While we may not agree with the Amish on everything we certainly could follow their lead in asking about how we can set priorities and then make sure that our actions match those priorities. 

          But the clarity of our actions needs to be in consultation with those that our actions affect.  For instance, a man worked very hard to provide for his family, because his family was the most important thing in his life.  He worked long hours, and ensured that his children had the best of everything.  One day, when he got home late after a long day at work, his 8-year-old son asked him how much he made an hour.  He wasn't particularly comfortable discussing this with a child, but his son persisted.  He finally told him, "I'll tell you, but you're not to tell anyone else.  I make $150.00 an hour."  His son thought for a second, and then asked, "could I borrow $20?"  The man got very angry.  His son only wanted to know how much he made so that he could borrow money from him.  He sent the boy to his room.  After a bit, he calmed down, and went to speak with his son, to find out what was so important that he had stayed up late to borrow 20 bucks.  His son got up and went to a box where he saved his allowance.  Inside, was $130.  "Why do you need to borrow $20 from me, when you've already got $130?  What is so important?"  "I want to buy an hour of your time, Dad, so we can do something together."

          That man's priority of putting his family first by providing for them, deprived them of his time, attention and presence.  His intentions were great, but he never thought about how his actions affected his family. 

          Sports is another area where we can see how teams set priorities.  In February 2012 Cory Weissman led out the men's basketball team of Gettysburg College for their last game of the season. Four years earlier he had suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on one side. Four years of rehab and he was able to walk with a limp, but was still not able to play competitively. But before his stroke he had been on the varsity team and the Gettysburg coach wanted to give him a few seconds on court as a senior. So Cory was nominated captain and led out the starting five for what was both his first and last game for Gettysburg, for he was now due to graduate.

          Knowing the struggle it was just to be there, the crowd and the players from both teams greeted him with wild applause. The Gettysburg coach gave him a few minutes on court before benching him.

          With one minute to go, Gettysburg was well ahead so the coach sent Cory back out on court. The Washington coach called time out and instructed his players to foul Cory Weissman. For those who don't know basketball this was a very generous act, for it meant Cory would be given two shots at the basket.

          Cory takes his place at the free throw line, feels the weight of the ball in his hands, lifts and shoots. It misses badly. But he has a second and final shot left. Again he feels the weight of the ball in his hands, lifts and shoots. This time the ball flies straight through the hoop, and the crowd breaks out in thunderous applause.

          The assistant vice president for athletics at Gettysburg, David Wright, later wrote to Washington College: "Your coach, Rob Nugent, along with his … staff and student-athletes, displayed a measure of compassion that I have never witnessed in over 30 years of involvement in intercollegiate athletics."  This story was told by Frank Record in a piece called, "When there's more to winning than winning."

          So, what are our priorities?  What's the goal?  How do we achieve it?  Can we follow the instructions Christ gave his disciples, to be last of all and servant of all?

          Let us pray:  Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters we do also for you:  give us the will to be the servant of others as you were the servant of all, and gave up your life and died for us, but are alive and reign, now and forever.  Amen.

Sermon: Power in the Little Things

          "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." 

          Our New Testament lesson from James reminds us of the power of little things – a bit to guide a horse, a rudder to steer a boat, and the tongue, which has the power of the Word.  This is no small power!

          God spoke the world into existence.  John points out that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.   There are warnings about speaking throughout the Bible.  Two commandments of ten are about speaking:  You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor; and you shall not take the name of the Lord in vain. 

          There's a saint whose day we celebrate in January, Vincent of Zaragoza, and it occurred to me that there are a few interesting things to note about Vincent.  First, he was appointed Deacon to Valerius of Zaragoza, who was the Bishop and who is said to have had a speech impediment.  He therefore did not speak often in public.  As Deacon, it was Vincent's job to preach about Christ and assist conversions, but he also took upon himself to speak on behalf of Bishop Valerius.  Valerius had the higher station, and yet when both were arrested by Emperor Diocletian, Vincent was the one put to death.  Diocletian considered Vincent the greater threat, as he was eloquent, and spoke of the “One God” and of Christ, convincing others through his teachings of the truth of the Faith.  Valerius, while having greater authority, could not or would not speak in such a way as to accomplish the same.  Vincent even convinced his prison guard to convert before he was put to death.   I'm not saying we want to be put to death for speaking the truth, but I do want to point out the power of that "small thing."

          Proverbs is full of warnings about speaking and the power of the Word.  In today's Old Testament lesson, Wisdom warns the foolish and invites the simple to gain in knowledge and understanding with her teaching.

          Will Rogers once said, "live that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."  Gossip – that other form of speaking that can both get people into trouble, and be completely misleading, depending upon the nature of the person spreading the gossip.  A good word of advice came from Henry Lesser in poetic form:

In the course of your conversation each and every day,

Think twice, try to be careful of what you have to say;

Your remarks may be picked up by someone's listening ear,

You may be surprised at what some people think they hear.

Things that you innocently say, or try to portray,

Can be changed, and greatly exaggerated along the way;

Many stories change for the worse as they are retold.

So try to keep any questionable remarks "on hold."

May I give all of you some very sound advice?

When you speak of others, say something nice;

Try to say good things, regardless of who is around,

If you have nothing good to say, don't utter a sound.

You may find that an innocent remark, in the end,

May lose you a close and valued friend.

          "With [our tongue] we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing."  In our New Testament lesson, James tells us, "this ought not to be so."  He points out that opposite characteristics cannot come from the same source.  What then does that mean for what comes out of our mouths?

          There's a polite reminder that people will utter when our mouths are getting away from us:  do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

          In Mark, we hear the power of the words spoken by people – "who do others say that I am?"  And, "who do you say that I am?"  We hear Peter proclaiming Christ to be the Messiah, and with the same voice, rebuking Christ for telling the disciples uncomfortable truths.  If we believe Christ to be the Messiah, and we believe that Christ is God made manifest – who are we to contradict God?

          Our Psalm today begins, "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork."  Are we not made in the image of God?  Don't we then have an even greater responsibility for our words to reflect the glory of God, His handiwork, laws and commandments?  "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you" is not just a nice way to begin a sermon, but rather a plea that God will help our words and actions be that reflection.

          For churches, we all invoke the name of Jesus Christ for the power in our prayers.  So the question is, do you believe that the name of Jesus Christ has power?  Or are you just paying it lip service because that's what we do here at church? 

          It makes me curious, as there are so many modern sayings about the lack of power that words have.  Look at what I do and not what I say; sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me; actions speak louder than words; well done is better than well said.  It used to be that an agreement and a handshake were far better than a written contract – my word is my bond.

          When did humanity decide that the Word has lost power?  And I rather wonder, did God change His mind about the power of the Word?  If not, should we perhaps learn to make sure that our Words match our actions, and that we are careful in what we say, seeing that there actually is quite a lot of power in the Word.

Sermon: Breathing in Communion with God

          Fr. Alexander Schmemann wrote with regard to man in modern-day context:  "He still loves, he is still hungry. He knows he is dependent on that which is beyond him. But his love and his dependence refer only to the world in itself. He does not know that breathing can be communion with God. He does not realize that to eat can be to receive life from God in more than its physical sense. He forgets that the world, its air or its food cannot by themselves bring life, but only as they are received and accepted for God’s sake, in God and as bearers of the divine gift of life. By themselves they can produce only the appearance of life."

          We've been talking for several weeks now about the bread that we choose to eat, the food that nourishes not only our bodies, but our souls.  This week, though, we have changed the focus from what we eat or consume, to how that manifests in our lives.  Going back to our New Testament reading from James, "In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures."

          So, first fruits – we remember where we first heard that phrase – in Genesis, where Cain brings the first fruits of his harvest.  Leviticus 23 gives instructions on what qualifies as a first fruits' offering.  Deuteronomy 26 is an entire chapter about how you provide the first fruits.  But here, James is saying that we, ourselves, in being reborn through baptism as Christians, are actually the first fruits.  Our actions, our choices, our communion with God by the very breath we breathe, must reflect the very best we have to offer. 

          Why?  Well, once again, it goes back to baptism.  In being baptized in Christ, we not only receive the grace that Christ offers us to have eternal life, but we accept the commission to let others know that that gift, that acceptance into the family of God, is available to everyone.  Christ's death and acceptance of the world's sins was for every single person who has ever or will ever exist.  His resurrection is a promise that we will live with God, eternally.

          So then, how do we fulfill that commission?  How do we let people know about Christ?  How do we invite them to discover the greatest gift mankind has ever known for themselves?

          If we're bold, outgoing, perfectly comfortable with ourselves, we probably just tell people.  We talk about Christ, talk about church, stand in the middle of wherever we are when someone asks us to pray for them, and do it.  And while I have the greatest of admiration for people who are capable of such things – even while standing up here in a collar – that is not one of my skills.

          So let's switch topics, and discuss the meaning of "free speech" as it pertains to our First Amendment in the United States.  I'm going to borrow a portion of the speech from "The American President":  "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the "land of the free"."

          Now, you know me – I'm not one who is ever going to advocate flag burning.  But, this is a dramatic example that actions qualify as free speech.  And there, you have the point that I'm trying to make.  Our actions qualify as a way to "tell" people about Christ, and the Christian life.  What we choose to do reflects what we've eaten.  How we behave tells people more about what we believe, oftentimes, than what we say. 

          So think about these questions:  Do we walk our talk?  Would someone we don't know well be able to identify us as a Christian?  Are we more of a do what I say, not what I do, type of person?  Do we live a life of integrity?

          Christ said in Mark's Gospel today, "There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile."  The things that come out – our actions, toward ourselves and others – matter.  Are we a Samaritan … or a stranger?

          The last thing I want to mention is one portion of our Old Testament reading.  "But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children—"  Our churches are shrinking, and oftentimes, our children have no idea that God is there, that they are not alone – because we haven't told them.  We've let what they eat and consume become less and less about honoring God and more and more about appearing to live.  We have to live up to our own Baptismal covenant, and with God's help, proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ; seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves; and strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being.

          This week, I want us to focus on the concept that "breathing can be communion with God."  If we even think about that three times a day – as often as we eat - how much more can we be aware of our every action, and how it reflects what we choose to consume?