Easter VI A Will Not be Left Orphaned

In the gospel of John, Jesus gives his farewell speech, before the ascension which will be celebrated on June 3.  In it he gives calming words to some anxious followers. Imagine losing your leader to a violent death. But no he’s not lost, this messiah has been resurrected and lives in the breaking of the bread.  But now the followers understand that Jesus is about to depart to be eternally with God.  Maybe they were feeling a frightened about their future, maybe feeling as if they were being left all alone and wondering how they would go forward without the presence of the charismatic teacher and healer, the son of God in their midst to guide them.

So, Jesus’s words bring comfort:  I will ask the Father to give you the Advocate, the spirit of truth. I will not leave you orphaned.

The followers are to be given a presence that will advocate for them, a holy spirit that the world cannot see, but they can see because they abide in the presence of God, through Christ’s intercessions.

I will not leave you orphaned.  In other words, the disciples felt like children without parents to guide them and protect them.  Even as adults, people can feel abandoned like orphans.  I myself was orphaned when I was a young adult, and I have heard others speak of feeling their orphanhood in their 50s and 60s even, as they lose their parents.

No matter what your age, losing parents can challenge your sense of security and identity. When the generation ahead of you has died, you may feel vulnerable no matter what your age.  But you have also lost more intangible things:

orphans lose the advice and guidance that parents can give, someone to tell them what choices are the best, how to live life with integrity, how to be true to yourself;

orphans lose a sense of family and heritage—there is no longer people who can tell you where you come from, how this family lives and what they believe about themselves, about others and about the world. Orphans no longer have direct connection to stories of their family’s past history, so they feel the break in family ties, feel the discontinuity in knowing how their past may lead to their future

And finally, orphans no longer are anyone’s child—they continue alone without the comfort of mother or father, the sense that they are unconditionally loved by people to whom they belong.

So when Jesus says he will not leave the disciples orphaned he is addressing these feelings, he is saying I will not leave you bereft of identity, I will heal the brokenness you feel, I will connect you with the future, and I will give you the comfort of unconditional love. In this way, Jesus stood in for the parenthood of God for the disciples. They learned what it meant to follow the spirit of the commandments with Jesus among them and now Jesus is making sure that they continue to have the guidance of the holy spirit, the advocate who has their interests in mind, to guide and direct and point them in the way to go.

And today, the spirit continues to lead us, we who are never orphaned from God because of the spirit that God has sent, the spirit that continues to make us feel God’s unconditional love, who guides us in the way of Christ, keeps us on the right track in faith.

In Christ, God has given all believers a sense of parenthood that will never die. God has pointed to Christ’s ministry among us first, and then has given us an ever-present spirit of truth that keeps that ministry alive for us.  In Christ and the Advocate, we have God’s promise of undying care and concern for our welfare. 

In our baptism we have been adopted as sons and daughters in Christ, and we inherit the Advocate given from the start by Christ.  Our heritage as Christians remains with us always.  Our family, our community of faith, both here in Holy Trinity, and in every congregation of faithful people, supports us through the continued work of the holy spirit.  Every time we come together in community, we receive guidance, in the words of scripture, in the hymns, in the creed we recite, in confessing our wrongs, in praying for the world, in blessing bread and wine using Christ’s own words, and in taking the holy sacrament at the altar, in the blessing of love that we can be for each other.  We see what it means to be in this family, where our heritage lies, what we hold as important, and we see that it all boils down to the sacrifice of Christ who showed us the love of God and who continues to guide us through the spirit of love and truth.

All of what Jesus says to the disciples before he leaves is said to the community.  When he says you, the Greek is plural—meaning all of you. Jesus is leaving us together with each other and the spirit of truth.  Feel welcome here as part of God’s family, as part of the community that lives with the spirit of truth and love.

Shepherd Me into Life Abundant

Easter IV A   

When Jesus talked with his followers about being a shepherd, they were pretty aware of exactly what that meant, since sheep were all around them and perhaps many themselves were shepherds or owned a herd.  My family farm was mostly milk cows and breeder sows with pigs, but we did have one orphaned lamb given to us by our cousin. Lamby Pie was fed milk from a pop bottle with a nipple, and he grew up pretty rapidly. Unfortunately, after he jumped the fence to raid the garden once too often, Lamby Pie was sent packing by my father.  In the 90s my brother in law took classes to become a shepherd and brought a small herd of sheep to the farm.  I mainly remember that they lambed in the coldest night of February, each ewe having twins or triplets. The sheep on our farm were in closed pens and had little to fear from predators, but sheep raised on open land can be preyed upon by coyotes and wolves.

Sheep are social animals and they instinctively flock together for safety from predators; when one strays away it is more in danger of being attacked.  So keeping a flock together is very important for their survival in the open land. Another instinct of sheep is to follow a leader, whether the leader is leading to danger or safety. Sheep have been known to follow a leader over a cliff.

The shepherd makes the herd prosper.  The shepherd may provide shelter for the lambing ewes, shade from the hot summer sun and shelter from rain and winter snow; the shepherd keeps the flock together for safety, goes to get lambs that stray from the flock to bring them back, and provides enclosures when needed; the shepherd leads the herd to good grazing pasture and clean, clear water; the shepherd rescues a sheep caught in brush, or a lamb trying to find its mother; and the shepherd wards off dangerous animals that might come near, and merely by being present, prevents lambs being preyed upon.  Where the shepherd leads, the sheep will be ensured of a good life, and Jesus says, an abundant life.

In the 21^st century we humans might object to being called sheep. We don’t just want to follow each other whether it’s good for us or not, but we invariably do follow opinion leaders, politicians, social icons and idols; we are distracted by the new and fresh, by this year’s fad diet or exercise program or talk show host. As humans, we too are social and instinctually must have community together.  We seek companionship, friendship, someone to listen, someone to love and who loves us, and we sometimes choose companions who are not good for us, and some times in our ultimate loneliness we seek substitutes in eating, drinking, or other destructive behavior.

In short, we want abundant life, but we are not good at having it on our own.  The shepherd we yearn for is the one who leads us to still waters, waters that constantly bring refreshment and never go dry.  We want a life where the important  things like friendship, love, giving to others, and living in safe community together are possible. 

Christ the shepherd promises that abundant life.   Christ has provided that abundant life by his life and death and resurrection, and he leads us to find the God of love who provides for us all we need.

In today’s culture, the other leaders tell us that abundant life will come when we have lost that extra weight, can dress the right way or live in the right house and neighborhood, following all the social rules.  But Christ tells us that abundant life is about things of God, things that feed our heart and soul.

The French geologist and priest Teilhard de Chardin has been quoted as saying that we are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a human experience.  What does this mean in the middle of our lives when we must go grocery shopping, clean the house, feed our family, pay the mortgage or rent?  How can we nurture our souls when our bodies seem so demanding?

Taking time to feed our souls, stopping to listen for the voice of the shepherd who leads us to the real abundance takes intention on our part. Following the shepherd means leaving the other leaders who would lead us to what look likes green pastures, but they do not really feed us.  Listening for the voice of the good shepherd means being able to tune out the other sounds crowding around us and asking us for our attention. 

Being in the flock that leads to abundant life is a lifelong task, where we keep learning what it means to have a shepherd like Christ who wants only to feed our souls and give us the food from heaven, the water from living streams. This food and water sustain us for doing the work we have been given to do—to love and serve each other and the world.  When we are grounded in the flock that is led by our good shepherd, we don’t want to listen to the others who would lead us astray, into the brush, off the cliff, away from the green pastures and into dangerous land where wolves roam. 

Christ is the shepherd who loves us into being. In Christ, God is giving us the abundant life we were meant to live.  Through Christ, we find our true selves.  We have a choice for which group we flock to, which leader we follow.  Christ is calling you to come be cared for by the good shepherd.

A Christian Response to the Killing of Osama Bin Laden

Along with many other Christians, I heard and received the news of the killing of al Quaeda leader Osama bin Laden by American special forces troups with a complex mix of feelings and thoughts.

First there was a sense of relief that the evil leader of the world's most murderous terrorist group (if you don't count the Third Reich) had been removed from society.  But my sense of relief was very short-lived.

The use of violence against violence is repugnant to me as a Christian.  At no time did Christ respond to the violence around him with violence.  He scolded and repudiated the disciple who acted with violence to defend him at his own arrest.

That violence begets violence was preached by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the use of non-violent methods was the earmark in all his work to obtain civil liberties for the whole world. His methods came from the study of Mahatma Gandhi who said "an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind."

Did we need to kill this man? Could he have been brought before the world court for crimes against humanity?  Could his organization al Quaeda be sought out and those responsible for ordering mass murder and assissination, for training children in violence, and for perpetrating hate in the name of God be taken into custody and treated like the criminals they are?

The state of Illinois recently instituted a ban on the death penalty. Where is the thinking of our national government that only military action and killing can reduce further violence in the world?

I pray for our country. I pray for all Muslims everywhere who have been damned by association with al Quaeda. I pray that God will help us all see another way, a different world, where violence does not beget violence and where we all come together to work against evil intent. I pray that all religious fanaticism be seen for what it is--a misuse of God's goodness for the purpose of evil.

Lent V A Resurrection is Coming April 3, 2011

We are in a season of hope. Green buds and shoots are popping out of the ground. Spring daylight hours are increasing at a rapid rate making it easier to plant those early seeds like lettuce and peas and to stay outdoors later.

All this as we are about to enter the most holy time of our faith.

This last week of Lent we are brought into texts that give us hope. They tell us that there is a God who gives life even in the face of death. They tell us that we are accompanied by a Messiah who shows us the power of God’s love over death.

We are all faced with death—whether we are young or old, we have encountered the passing away of something or someone in our lives and find we go on in the face of this loss and grief. In our gospel today, Jesus’s friends Mary and Martha tell Jesus that there brother Lazarus whom Jesus loves, is dying. Jesus seems to deliberately wait to go to them, and when he arrives Martha tells Jesus that if he had been there Lazarus would not have died.

Jesus is doing something of power here though, where the God’s power over even death will be shown. Lazarus is not only a little dead, he has been dead four days. Nevetheless, the power of God through Christ gives him life again. He rises from the grave as Jesus’ command, he comes forward out of death.

We also see this power over death in the dry bones of the desert which are brought back to life, sinew upon sinew. God’s power is coming, like the bringing back to life the bulbs that have lain in under the snow and cold all winter. Everywhere we see the power of God to liven the world, bring sap into the trees, and new life to those who believe in God’s grace.

There are many ways that we not only deal with death but we ourselves are dead and dying. We may have given up on something or someone that means much to us. We may have given away our life in activities that do not feed and nourish our soul. We may see no hope for the world, be cynical about our own future. In all our ways of being dead, God is offering us hope and resurrection.

Even things long dead, like dry bones and a body long in the grave are given new life. When we think we are worthy of new life, God is saying all are worthy. When we believe that this is all there is, God is saying, wait til you see what I have for you next.

When we are like the psalmist crying out of the depths, we can also see where God is trying to give us redemption and forgiveness. When we can’t forgive ourselves, God is ready to give us another try and another, until we realize we are worthy of God’s love and grace.

My soul waits for the Lord, the psalmist tells us. Mary and Martha and Lazarus waited for Jesus and it seemed too late. God’s mercy comes when we think it is too late, when we don’t believe we can be redeemed from the deadness of our hearts and our grief and our anxieties about our lives. God comes to take our hearts of stone and bring us hearts of love. God’s mercy is always there at the right time.

Our texts this week tell us what to expect next week: of death that is not final. In this last week of Lent, they tell us to prepare for the passion stories, the stories of death but knowing that this death will ultimately bring life. We prepare our hearts for next week’s palm procession and the readings of betrayal, and suffering and death, as we also cling to the hope that death is not the final answer.

Wherever in your life that things are dying, we are called to let them go and let God’s power of life bring new buds and green shoots, with the light and warmth of God’s Sun. Wherever you have lost hope, prepare yourself to have hope restored, to know that even out of the depths God has gifts of forgiveness and redemption and new life.

Lent IV A Blind to the Light March 30, 2011

Lent IV A Blind to the Light


Today we encounter a gospel of light and darkness and how being blind is a choice for some people. There are a lot of double meanings as Jesus sees a man blind from birth, heals him and then must deal with a more intractable form of blindness from the leaders of the synagogue who can only see that they are right.

Failing to acknowledge your failings, and knowing that you alone know, both are sins of great importance to the Son of Man who comes to bring light to the world. Jesus hates blind acceptance of law over the creative response to the problems of sin in the world. A blind beggar, a lowly man who is considered to be suffering for the sins of his parents, is given healing power to see the light that Jesus is the Son of Man. There is light all around in this gospel:

light first for the disciples who believe that sins of the parents are visited on their children, and learn that no sin has been committed by either the parents or the man

light for the blind man, who sees the world for the first time, then sees Jesus as the light of the world

light for this man’s parents, who are confronted by the Pharisees and try to wiggle out of telling them anything, who must be very confused by their son who can now see

light for some of the Pharisees who argue amongst themselves about what is real; is Jesus a sinner or not? Can a person who heals on the Sabbath, who is automatically a sinner because he worked on the Sabbath, really be a sinner because he has done healing?

This gospel makes us see where blindness comes from. The disciples and the Pharisees both have categories of how the world works and what is sin, but Jesus lets some light into this rigid world view. The man is not blind because someone sinned. And Jesus is not a sinner merely because he performed an act of mercy on the Sabbath. Acts of mercy, Jesus is telling us, are for every day of the week, God’s mercy never takes a rest. Rigidity is blindness and thinking we know the way the world works is blindness.

So why do we cling to these ways of being blind? Why do we need to know how the world works, want to know and cling to our knowledge?

Being blind can be comfortable. In medical annals, many people who are born blind can be terrified when they suddenly are able to see. Neurologists and ophthalmologists tell us that people who have been blind from birth when they have been cured and can now see can be totally disoriented. Their world is not the same world they had been comfortable being in. They had learned how to be in the world, to walk, get around, to know what their surroundings were without sight, using hearing and touch in a way that no one with sight used and now their comfortable way of getting around and their understanding of the things and people around them has suddenly been totally changed. You can imagine how unsettling and problematic that might be.

And there is a darker, more insidious side of not seeing. The pop singers the Indigo Girls lyrics say

Darkness has a hunger that’s insatiable, lightness has a call that’s hard to hear

This kind of darkness lures us into denial. We deny our bad habits, like overeating and drinking, lack of exercise and all the other unhealthy things. We deny that we are negative and nag people, or that we hold grudges, or that we judge other people. We deny that we are not perfect or perhaps we deny that we are capable of being loved at all and give up on ourselves. Whatever our denial, it is insidious and we are not capable of losing this type of blindness on our own.

The insatiability of this darkness is that we come to believe that we cannot change, or that change is not good, or that we would be uncomfortable, lose our way of being in the world, lose our habits that we wear like old clothes.

Whatever your blindness, the gospel today is not a gospel of comfort. Coming to the light that God has provided us in Jesus is coming out of our sense that everything is okay just the way it is. The challenge of the Light of the World is calling us to that lightness that is hard to hear according to the Indigo Girls. In the noise of everything we have built up in our lives to keep us from seeing the real us and dealing with our sins of omission and commission, Jesus is offering another way.

The way of our Christ is one of challenging the categories that we place things in to keep our world safe and secure. The light of the world comes into the dark places so that we may live a more authentic life, a more full life, a more generous and loving life. This way is not easy, but it is the way of love, first to love yourself out of our comfort zone and then to love the world out of theirs.

Can you hear the call of the light of the world?