Sunday, May 29, 2011
May 29, 2011 Sermon
Once again, we joined our friends at St. Chad's Anglican as they celebrated spring with a service and family picnic at the Unique Corral. Meantime, it was Doors Open Winnipeg at our Heritage Church on Tylehurst Street.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
May 22, 2011 Sermon: Easter 5: Knowing the Way
"Alleluia! The Lord is risen!” Good morning and welcome. We are living in significant times. Anyone know why??? No, it’s not because today is the first day of spring, though that is significant for many and many are enjoying the warmer weather. And, it’s not significant because an NHL team may be coming back to Winnipeg, important as that is.
It’s significant because none of us are supposed to be here….that is, if you believe the predictions of radio evangelist Harold Camping. This news was all over the media yesterday. Though everywhere I went nobody appeared to be too worried.
Using a mathematical system of his own creation to interpret obscure prophecies in the Bible, Camping originally predicted that Sept. 6, 1994 would be Judgment Day, or the day of the "Rapture" when Christian believers will ascend to heaven, leaving the rest of humanity to its deservedly dreary fate.
But 1994 came and went relatively uneventfully, and Camping has since reworked his equations in such a way that they pointed to a May 21, 2011 Rapture. Once the 200 million true Christians (in Camping's estimation) had been whisked away Saturday, he said hell on Earth would ensue and last for 5 months, until Oct. 21, at which time the world will end.
If Camping’s predictions had come true, there would have been a massive earthquake greater than any we have ever experienced up until now. The rapture would have occurred at exactly 6 p.m. in that time slot around the world. At that time, the believers would be taken up into heaven, leaving many on earth to suffer judgment. Well, I guess he will have to recalculate, though at his age, he may meet his maker sooner than his next prediction.
People like Camping and their predictions have come and gone for years. In the Bible, we are told that no one, not even the angels will know when that occurs. I find it interesting that the latest prediction came about because Camping had come up with new calculations based on his current research.
This is not to say that the rapture will not happen. It will, and we, as Christians, believe Jesus will return a second time, as we say in our Creed. In fact, we are reminded of this at certain times of the year like Advent and Lent. The point is that we need to be prepared for the rapture to occur at any moment, living a life of faith in relationship with a living Lord Jesus Christ.
Why do you suppose so many listen to messages from doomsday prophets like Camping? Could it be they are searching for someone who is credible, who gives them hope and direction and can lead them out of darkness? Could it be some just feel lost and don’t know where to turn? Consider those who face losses or are on the outs in their relationships, or caught up in drugs, alcohol or wrong living. They need direction and the fundamentalist prophets are willing to give it to them and to take their money in the process.
Consider today’s Gospel. The disciples ask the question, “We don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” This is an eternal question. Almost all of us can relate to getting lost. I have been lost many times in my travels, often needing assistance or a GPS to find my way. It often takes an intervention, like seeking out someone, to get us back on track. We can relate to that. How many of us, if we are in difficulty and don’t know the way, stop and ask someone, “Do you know the way to ….?” I have done that many, many times, both in the physical and spiritual way.
When it comes to the spiritual journey, however, this question seems only to be asked when there is crisis or difficulty. A relationship breaks down. A job is lost. A death occurs. There is no food in the refrigerator and no job to buy any food. Alcohol or drug abuse puts you in the criminal justice system, where the secular answer only leads to more crime and more derailment from the right path. How can we know the way? There are many people like Camping out there willing to tell you where to go and how to get there. Some will take a chance and follow. Others will ignore it, but the reality is that moments of crisis are also moments of opportunity, moments of clarity. I have been going down the wrong road. I am lost. I am confused. I don’t know what to do or to think.
Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and life.” This, my brothers and sisters, is Good News, and it comes to those who believe. If you are lost or on the wrong track or cannot find your way, all it takes is what James calls the “prayer of faith.” That prayer goes something like this…. “Thank you Lord for forgiving me my sins….come into my life through your Holy Spirit and guide and direct me.” It is a simple but powerful prayer, especially for those who do not know the way. Many other faiths follow a good road and bring many of the positive teachings of the Gospel, but none of them have the definitive Word…. “I am the way, the truth and the life…No one comes to the Father except through me.”
When we come to Jesus in faith, our whole life takes on new meaning and we are transformed. Just ask those recently confirmed or baptized. The old life and its failings are gone. What is left is joy, hope, excitement and abundant life. Just before He died, Jesus said He would not leave us alone on this earth to struggle. Instead, He would send to us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. This is the very life of Jesus who lives in us. It is He who reminds us of our story of faith. It is He who helps us to confess our sin. It is He who repents. It is He who brings us healing and hope and joy. It is He who directs us through His Word.
After Phillip asked his question, Jesus says, “Don’t you know me, Phillip even after I have been with you a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Then, He says this… “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or, at least, believe in the evidence of the works themselves.”
The followers of Jesus were human and had their doubts, yet they had witnessed with their own eyes the miracles, the healings, the moments of clarity, like the time Jesus was confronted by religious leaders and the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. What did Jesus do? He bent down in the sand and wrote something. He knew the penalty for adultery was to be stoned to death. Yet, He looked up and said “Those of you who are without sin, cast the first stone.” One by one, we are told, they left, beginning with the elders, the ones who knew in their hearts they were sinners. Then Jesus said to the woman, “Who here has condemned you?” No one, she said. “Neither do I…Go” and then He said “Sin no more.” Jesus did not condone the sin, but forgave and gave the woman a chance at new life.
This s the Gospel we believe in. This is the Good News, that Jesus died for your sins and mine and that He loves us unconditionally. He wants all to come to Him on their own terms and in their own time. That is why the Second Coming has not happened. It is up to you and to me to share the Good News, that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, to the end that all who believe will not perish but have eternal life.
Our Lord has promised a place for you and for me and He does not break His promise. We must listen to the authentic voice of Jesus, the prophetic voice that calls us to act, to make sure this earth hears of Good News, that this earth, this neighbourhood, knows God loves them. While we still have breath, it is our privilege and our mission.
“Very truly,” says Jesus, “whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And, I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You will ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.”
Brothers and sister in Christ, we must take ownership of the life and faith that is in us. We, too, when we come near someone, can say “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us, we can make a difference in this world. Go out and make disciples of all nations, says the Lord in Matthew’s Gospel, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
It is an awesome privilege to serve on behalf of the Lord, but remember we do not do this on our own. “Remember, says Jesus, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
May God bless each and every one of you in your journey through life and may we all turn to the Lord, giving thanks always for His blessings upon us. In Jesus’ name I pray.
It’s significant because none of us are supposed to be here….that is, if you believe the predictions of radio evangelist Harold Camping. This news was all over the media yesterday. Though everywhere I went nobody appeared to be too worried.
Using a mathematical system of his own creation to interpret obscure prophecies in the Bible, Camping originally predicted that Sept. 6, 1994 would be Judgment Day, or the day of the "Rapture" when Christian believers will ascend to heaven, leaving the rest of humanity to its deservedly dreary fate.
But 1994 came and went relatively uneventfully, and Camping has since reworked his equations in such a way that they pointed to a May 21, 2011 Rapture. Once the 200 million true Christians (in Camping's estimation) had been whisked away Saturday, he said hell on Earth would ensue and last for 5 months, until Oct. 21, at which time the world will end.
If Camping’s predictions had come true, there would have been a massive earthquake greater than any we have ever experienced up until now. The rapture would have occurred at exactly 6 p.m. in that time slot around the world. At that time, the believers would be taken up into heaven, leaving many on earth to suffer judgment. Well, I guess he will have to recalculate, though at his age, he may meet his maker sooner than his next prediction.
People like Camping and their predictions have come and gone for years. In the Bible, we are told that no one, not even the angels will know when that occurs. I find it interesting that the latest prediction came about because Camping had come up with new calculations based on his current research.
This is not to say that the rapture will not happen. It will, and we, as Christians, believe Jesus will return a second time, as we say in our Creed. In fact, we are reminded of this at certain times of the year like Advent and Lent. The point is that we need to be prepared for the rapture to occur at any moment, living a life of faith in relationship with a living Lord Jesus Christ.
Why do you suppose so many listen to messages from doomsday prophets like Camping? Could it be they are searching for someone who is credible, who gives them hope and direction and can lead them out of darkness? Could it be some just feel lost and don’t know where to turn? Consider those who face losses or are on the outs in their relationships, or caught up in drugs, alcohol or wrong living. They need direction and the fundamentalist prophets are willing to give it to them and to take their money in the process.
Consider today’s Gospel. The disciples ask the question, “We don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” This is an eternal question. Almost all of us can relate to getting lost. I have been lost many times in my travels, often needing assistance or a GPS to find my way. It often takes an intervention, like seeking out someone, to get us back on track. We can relate to that. How many of us, if we are in difficulty and don’t know the way, stop and ask someone, “Do you know the way to ….?” I have done that many, many times, both in the physical and spiritual way.
When it comes to the spiritual journey, however, this question seems only to be asked when there is crisis or difficulty. A relationship breaks down. A job is lost. A death occurs. There is no food in the refrigerator and no job to buy any food. Alcohol or drug abuse puts you in the criminal justice system, where the secular answer only leads to more crime and more derailment from the right path. How can we know the way? There are many people like Camping out there willing to tell you where to go and how to get there. Some will take a chance and follow. Others will ignore it, but the reality is that moments of crisis are also moments of opportunity, moments of clarity. I have been going down the wrong road. I am lost. I am confused. I don’t know what to do or to think.
Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and life.” This, my brothers and sisters, is Good News, and it comes to those who believe. If you are lost or on the wrong track or cannot find your way, all it takes is what James calls the “prayer of faith.” That prayer goes something like this…. “Thank you Lord for forgiving me my sins….come into my life through your Holy Spirit and guide and direct me.” It is a simple but powerful prayer, especially for those who do not know the way. Many other faiths follow a good road and bring many of the positive teachings of the Gospel, but none of them have the definitive Word…. “I am the way, the truth and the life…No one comes to the Father except through me.”
When we come to Jesus in faith, our whole life takes on new meaning and we are transformed. Just ask those recently confirmed or baptized. The old life and its failings are gone. What is left is joy, hope, excitement and abundant life. Just before He died, Jesus said He would not leave us alone on this earth to struggle. Instead, He would send to us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. This is the very life of Jesus who lives in us. It is He who reminds us of our story of faith. It is He who helps us to confess our sin. It is He who repents. It is He who brings us healing and hope and joy. It is He who directs us through His Word.
After Phillip asked his question, Jesus says, “Don’t you know me, Phillip even after I have been with you a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Then, He says this… “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or, at least, believe in the evidence of the works themselves.”
The followers of Jesus were human and had their doubts, yet they had witnessed with their own eyes the miracles, the healings, the moments of clarity, like the time Jesus was confronted by religious leaders and the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. What did Jesus do? He bent down in the sand and wrote something. He knew the penalty for adultery was to be stoned to death. Yet, He looked up and said “Those of you who are without sin, cast the first stone.” One by one, we are told, they left, beginning with the elders, the ones who knew in their hearts they were sinners. Then Jesus said to the woman, “Who here has condemned you?” No one, she said. “Neither do I…Go” and then He said “Sin no more.” Jesus did not condone the sin, but forgave and gave the woman a chance at new life.
This s the Gospel we believe in. This is the Good News, that Jesus died for your sins and mine and that He loves us unconditionally. He wants all to come to Him on their own terms and in their own time. That is why the Second Coming has not happened. It is up to you and to me to share the Good News, that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, to the end that all who believe will not perish but have eternal life.
Our Lord has promised a place for you and for me and He does not break His promise. We must listen to the authentic voice of Jesus, the prophetic voice that calls us to act, to make sure this earth hears of Good News, that this earth, this neighbourhood, knows God loves them. While we still have breath, it is our privilege and our mission.
“Very truly,” says Jesus, “whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And, I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You will ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.”
Brothers and sister in Christ, we must take ownership of the life and faith that is in us. We, too, when we come near someone, can say “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us, we can make a difference in this world. Go out and make disciples of all nations, says the Lord in Matthew’s Gospel, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
It is an awesome privilege to serve on behalf of the Lord, but remember we do not do this on our own. “Remember, says Jesus, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
May God bless each and every one of you in your journey through life and may we all turn to the Lord, giving thanks always for His blessings upon us. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
May 15, 2011 Sermon
Nope, none today either: we're joining St. Chad's Anglican Church in worship, with the other Congregations in Conversation: St. Mary's, and St. Stephen's St. Bede's.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
May 8, 2011 Sermon: Easter 3
Father Murray has no sermon for us today: he's in BC receiving his Doctorate degree ! Rev. Mary Lysecki was our guest today.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
May 1, 2011 Sermon: Easter 2
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! My that sounds good to my ears! Get used to it, since that is the shout of the Easter season!
I often get the feeling that for some, Easter is a major celebration and that demands our attention and presence. Yet, the Sundays afterward seem to trail off for some reason. The Easter season, my brothers and sisters, is 50 days long and in that time we will hear many stories of the significance of the resurrection.
Like today’s story about one of the disciples of Jesus. You remember Thomas? He is perhaps one of the more well known disciples since we have a phrase that we used that is tied directly to this story…. “Doubting Thomas.” Do we have any doubting Thomases in this community?
I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that doubting comes with human nature and it can get us into a whack of trouble. I’m away next week and I am still pinching myself to see if I am dreaming. I have been awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree after some six years of effort. Yet, there were many many times along that journey that I doubted. I doubted I had the confidence, the knowledge, the ability, the skill to get the job done. Many times I would stare at a blank computer screen and ask “What am I doing?” and “Why am I doing this?” or “How am I going to get this done?” It was debilitating at times.
Thankfully, I worked through my doubting and listened to the more sober voices of friends and family, the very voices of God nudging me onward despite my doubts. Had I simply given in to this process, I would have quit and the thesis would not have been written. My thesis deals with the national Sacred Circle in 2009 in Port Elgin, Ontario. I argued that the national sacred event led to substantial governance change in the Church.
Anyway, this story is a good one because it reflects our time. It is hard in this day and age some 2000 years past the original event to believe in a God we cannot see or touch or hear in the presence of an earthly Jesus. It is hard to believe in a world with so much hatred and violence and greed, where money and the love of it seem to top the agendas many times and where we continue to see poverty and illness and natural disasters and crises visit us. It is the hardest to believe when these things strike home and land on our doorstep.
And so, we revisit the Gospel passage. It is after the resurrection event. Jesus has made His first post-resurrection visit to the disciples in the Upper Room. These are the same disciples who were nowhere to be found when Jesus was being crucified. We are not told why, but one speculation is they were afraid. They were afraid they might be accused of having stolen the body of Jesus. They were afraid that perhaps they, too, would be crucified next. They were afraid that perhaps along with Jesus went all of their hopes and dreams. Scripture tell us it was not until after the resurrection event that the disciples fully understood what Jesus meant when He said He must die and rise again.
Fear is a crippler and it can lead to doubt. The disciples may have asked themselves, “Where are we now? Jesus said He would not leave us alone. Jesus said there were better days ahead. Jesus was the Messiah, wasn’t He? What if all of that was untrue? What if this were some elaborate hoax? What if we were duped?”
If we are afraid, we tend to retreat from life, to blindly follow where we might not otherwise go, in order to seek security. Fear can lead us to do things we might not otherwise do. There’s even such a thing as a ‘politics of fear’. Have you heard that expression? I’ve heard it said several times during our current election campaign. Some are kept in power by controlling others through fear. This can be said of dictators who we have heard of in our news lately.
Perfect love casts out fear and that is where Jesus comes in. In the midst of a climate of fear and uncertainty, Jesus appears to His disciples in the Upper Room. “Peace be with you,” Jesus then shows them His hands and side. Again, He says. “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me I am sending you.” And with that statement Jesus commissions the disciples to become Apostles, which means ‘Ones who are sent’.
The Apostles are given their marching orders but not before Jesus breathes on them and says “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone His sins they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them they are not forgiven.” The Apostles are now equipped with the mandate to carry on Jesus’ mission to the world.
Except there is one who is not present. Thomas. Why is that? Well, I am sure all of you, or most anyway, have experienced grief as a result of loss. Thomas was deeply committed to the Lord’s mission. Remember, he was the one who, when Jesus was ready to go to Bethany, courageously said he would go even if it meant he would die with Jesus. Thomas said to them, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:16). Thomas also asked Him one of the most famous questions. In John 14:5-6 Thomas says, “‘Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’"
He recalled that not long before, the authorities had tried to stone Jesus. And so, this courageous man would not have done that if he did not believe in the cause.
Thomas was likely in heavy grief, so much so that when the disciples caught up to him and told him they had seen the Lord, what was his reaction? He doubted, perhaps because of the many reasons stated earlier. So, he says, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
'I will not believe it’. Famous words of the doubter. Unless I have the proof in front of me I will not believe. Look around, I’m tempted to say. Feel the wind. You could say there is no such thing, but you can feel it when it blows and see the effects it has on the landscape. It is this evidence that leads us to believe there is wind even though we cannot see.
Like many who doubt, Thomas needed the proof and so a week later they were in the Upper Room again and Jesus again appears and says “Peace be with you!” This is the very heart of this passage as we note that the doubter may have wanted concrete proof. In the end, he didn’t need it. He saw and immediately cried out “My Lord and my God.” The scripture doesn’t actually say Thomas thrust his hand into Jesus side. He simply made an act of faith and believed.
Jesus then says. “Because you have seen me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
We, today, are ones who have not seen Jesus in the flesh. Yet, we, too, believe. This is faith, to believe in the fact the Lord kept His promise. He sent the Holy Spirit and we now have the power and ability and authority to continue God’s work in the world, to bring about healing, hope, reconciliation, to a world that so desperately needs it.
And so, when I was at my worst in doubting, I, like Thomas, had to work through that doubt and to listen to the voice of God. Where was His voice? It was found in you, in my family and friends and those who were confident I could get the job done. Brothers and sisters in Christ, there will be many moments of despair and uncertainty that will visit us. In these moments, let us not give in to fear and uncertainty. Instead, let us embrace the risen Lord in our lives and trust in His love and may that same love guide and direct us into deeper faith and deeper mission in His name! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
I often get the feeling that for some, Easter is a major celebration and that demands our attention and presence. Yet, the Sundays afterward seem to trail off for some reason. The Easter season, my brothers and sisters, is 50 days long and in that time we will hear many stories of the significance of the resurrection.
Like today’s story about one of the disciples of Jesus. You remember Thomas? He is perhaps one of the more well known disciples since we have a phrase that we used that is tied directly to this story…. “Doubting Thomas.” Do we have any doubting Thomases in this community?
I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that doubting comes with human nature and it can get us into a whack of trouble. I’m away next week and I am still pinching myself to see if I am dreaming. I have been awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree after some six years of effort. Yet, there were many many times along that journey that I doubted. I doubted I had the confidence, the knowledge, the ability, the skill to get the job done. Many times I would stare at a blank computer screen and ask “What am I doing?” and “Why am I doing this?” or “How am I going to get this done?” It was debilitating at times.
Thankfully, I worked through my doubting and listened to the more sober voices of friends and family, the very voices of God nudging me onward despite my doubts. Had I simply given in to this process, I would have quit and the thesis would not have been written. My thesis deals with the national Sacred Circle in 2009 in Port Elgin, Ontario. I argued that the national sacred event led to substantial governance change in the Church.
Anyway, this story is a good one because it reflects our time. It is hard in this day and age some 2000 years past the original event to believe in a God we cannot see or touch or hear in the presence of an earthly Jesus. It is hard to believe in a world with so much hatred and violence and greed, where money and the love of it seem to top the agendas many times and where we continue to see poverty and illness and natural disasters and crises visit us. It is the hardest to believe when these things strike home and land on our doorstep.
And so, we revisit the Gospel passage. It is after the resurrection event. Jesus has made His first post-resurrection visit to the disciples in the Upper Room. These are the same disciples who were nowhere to be found when Jesus was being crucified. We are not told why, but one speculation is they were afraid. They were afraid they might be accused of having stolen the body of Jesus. They were afraid that perhaps they, too, would be crucified next. They were afraid that perhaps along with Jesus went all of their hopes and dreams. Scripture tell us it was not until after the resurrection event that the disciples fully understood what Jesus meant when He said He must die and rise again.
Fear is a crippler and it can lead to doubt. The disciples may have asked themselves, “Where are we now? Jesus said He would not leave us alone. Jesus said there were better days ahead. Jesus was the Messiah, wasn’t He? What if all of that was untrue? What if this were some elaborate hoax? What if we were duped?”
If we are afraid, we tend to retreat from life, to blindly follow where we might not otherwise go, in order to seek security. Fear can lead us to do things we might not otherwise do. There’s even such a thing as a ‘politics of fear’. Have you heard that expression? I’ve heard it said several times during our current election campaign. Some are kept in power by controlling others through fear. This can be said of dictators who we have heard of in our news lately.
Perfect love casts out fear and that is where Jesus comes in. In the midst of a climate of fear and uncertainty, Jesus appears to His disciples in the Upper Room. “Peace be with you,” Jesus then shows them His hands and side. Again, He says. “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me I am sending you.” And with that statement Jesus commissions the disciples to become Apostles, which means ‘Ones who are sent’.
The Apostles are given their marching orders but not before Jesus breathes on them and says “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone His sins they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them they are not forgiven.” The Apostles are now equipped with the mandate to carry on Jesus’ mission to the world.
Except there is one who is not present. Thomas. Why is that? Well, I am sure all of you, or most anyway, have experienced grief as a result of loss. Thomas was deeply committed to the Lord’s mission. Remember, he was the one who, when Jesus was ready to go to Bethany, courageously said he would go even if it meant he would die with Jesus. Thomas said to them, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:16). Thomas also asked Him one of the most famous questions. In John 14:5-6 Thomas says, “‘Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’"
He recalled that not long before, the authorities had tried to stone Jesus. And so, this courageous man would not have done that if he did not believe in the cause.
Thomas was likely in heavy grief, so much so that when the disciples caught up to him and told him they had seen the Lord, what was his reaction? He doubted, perhaps because of the many reasons stated earlier. So, he says, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
'I will not believe it’. Famous words of the doubter. Unless I have the proof in front of me I will not believe. Look around, I’m tempted to say. Feel the wind. You could say there is no such thing, but you can feel it when it blows and see the effects it has on the landscape. It is this evidence that leads us to believe there is wind even though we cannot see.
Like many who doubt, Thomas needed the proof and so a week later they were in the Upper Room again and Jesus again appears and says “Peace be with you!” This is the very heart of this passage as we note that the doubter may have wanted concrete proof. In the end, he didn’t need it. He saw and immediately cried out “My Lord and my God.” The scripture doesn’t actually say Thomas thrust his hand into Jesus side. He simply made an act of faith and believed.
Jesus then says. “Because you have seen me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
We, today, are ones who have not seen Jesus in the flesh. Yet, we, too, believe. This is faith, to believe in the fact the Lord kept His promise. He sent the Holy Spirit and we now have the power and ability and authority to continue God’s work in the world, to bring about healing, hope, reconciliation, to a world that so desperately needs it.
And so, when I was at my worst in doubting, I, like Thomas, had to work through that doubt and to listen to the voice of God. Where was His voice? It was found in you, in my family and friends and those who were confident I could get the job done. Brothers and sisters in Christ, there will be many moments of despair and uncertainty that will visit us. In these moments, let us not give in to fear and uncertainty. Instead, let us embrace the risen Lord in our lives and trust in His love and may that same love guide and direct us into deeper faith and deeper mission in His name! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
April 24 Sermon, Easter 2011
Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Good morning and welcome to this joyous Feast of Easter!
As I look out on our streets today, I can see as you can, that spring is pretty much with us. The warmer weather is returning, the snow has melted away and I have seen my first robin! New life peeks out everywhere as the greenery returns.
Yet, even while we may get excited about the coming of this new life, we are also faced with peril as flood waters increase to about the 2009 levels. More so, there is even more overland flooding and for the first time in a very long time, the Assiniboine and Red Rivers may crest at the same time.
The news is not good for many in the path of the flood as homes are destroyed and roads are washed away. One man even lost his life while attempting to drive through a washed out road. It’s not as though we are totally unprepared. Forecasters saw this coming and the government has purchased ice breakers and sand bag machines to assist in the fight. We even have a designated helicopter to take people to safety if need be.
It is this kind of scenario that reminds us of how little control we have over the elements and sometimes over the circumstances in our lives. One moment we can be happy and carefree, full of joy and the next – boom, a crisis hits where we feel totally out of control.
In moments like these and specifically at this time of year, we need the reminder of how much our God actually loves us. Without that reassurance, we may simply get discouraged and plunge into despair, a “Why me?” thought or “Not again?” or “I quit!” At times like these we question the very existence of God. Our purpose in life seems lost.
I’d like to share with you a brief story about purpose that I dug up on the ‘net. No author was given, but the story is a good one.
Be patient… the crises and moments of despair will come but the Bible assures us God has a plan for each and every one of us. He knows suffering and pain and walks with us on our journey in life. Everyone and everything has purpose. Our purpose as Christians can be found in the catechism of the Book of Common Prayer. Any of you recall? Here is the question: what is the chief purpose of mankind? Answer: The chief purpose of mankind is to glorify God—to glorify the God who created us in His image, who loves us and who has redeemed us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
As Christians, we are to recognize the dignity in each person, as we are commanded at our baptisms; we are to discover the purposes of the Christian—to share the Good News, that God so loved the world, so loved you and me that He gave His only begotten Son, to the end that all who believe in Him would not perish in sin but have eternal life.
We must be like those earliest followers of Jesus, like Mary Magdalene, the first witness to the resurrection, and like the Beloved disciple who ran past Peter to look in and see the empty tomb. He saw and believed. The Beloved disciple gives us his example. He saw and he believed. Thomas, the doubter, also believed but he needed proof. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe, says Jesus.
It is very hard to believe in a world where so much goes wrong, in a society where we seem to hear constantly of murders and violence. These events can cause us to harden our own hearts and to question the resurrection. We cannot see the risen Lord so it is hard. This was the dilemma even in those first few moments after the resurrection. Mary Magdalene experienced the risen Lord and her reaction? She did not recognize Jesus. She thought He was the gardener. Then there is the post resurrection experience of the disciples… recall the road to Emmaus? The disciples walked with Jesus but scripture says their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
Today, our eyes are kept from recognizing Jesus when we give in to despair, to desperation, to human nature—pride, envy, jealousy, anger, licentiousness, greed, etcetera. We can fail to lose sight of Jesus in our midst when we give in to the false notion that ‘all I need in this world is me, myself and I. I need no other help. My own abilities, my own education, my own desire have taken me to where I am and ultimately power and respect are all that matter.’ It is these false notions that lead us far away from God.
Thanks be to God that Jesus rose from the dead! Jesus died that you and I might have life, but not just any life. He died that you and I might have abundant life, filled with purpose. That purpose is to glorify God and to share Good News that God loves us unconditionally and has died for our sins. Through His blood we are saved from sin and through the Holy Spirit we are given new life, healing, hope and purpose!
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I take great pride in knowing Jesus is alive and living in me and you. I take great joy in knowing that He is found in our neighbour. I take great comfort in hearing of the many who have chipped in to help in the flood situation and who work tirelessly to prevent loss of life. Take a look at the many who offer themselves for the sand bagging effort. There is where you will see purpose. There is where you see God at work.
Like the great oak that has purpose we cannot necessarily detect, we too have purpose and we too must be attentive to listen for the voice of Jesus as He calls to us. Once Mary heard the good news she had to spread it. We, too have Good News to share. Let us embrace the risen Lord in our midst and share the Good News with all who we come in contact with. May the Lord bless us in the days ahead. The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
As I look out on our streets today, I can see as you can, that spring is pretty much with us. The warmer weather is returning, the snow has melted away and I have seen my first robin! New life peeks out everywhere as the greenery returns.
Yet, even while we may get excited about the coming of this new life, we are also faced with peril as flood waters increase to about the 2009 levels. More so, there is even more overland flooding and for the first time in a very long time, the Assiniboine and Red Rivers may crest at the same time.
The news is not good for many in the path of the flood as homes are destroyed and roads are washed away. One man even lost his life while attempting to drive through a washed out road. It’s not as though we are totally unprepared. Forecasters saw this coming and the government has purchased ice breakers and sand bag machines to assist in the fight. We even have a designated helicopter to take people to safety if need be.
It is this kind of scenario that reminds us of how little control we have over the elements and sometimes over the circumstances in our lives. One moment we can be happy and carefree, full of joy and the next – boom, a crisis hits where we feel totally out of control.
In moments like these and specifically at this time of year, we need the reminder of how much our God actually loves us. Without that reassurance, we may simply get discouraged and plunge into despair, a “Why me?” thought or “Not again?” or “I quit!” At times like these we question the very existence of God. Our purpose in life seems lost.
I’d like to share with you a brief story about purpose that I dug up on the ‘net. No author was given, but the story is a good one.
One day a woodcutter took his grandson into the forest for his first experience in selecting and cutting oak trees. These they would later sell to the boat builders. As they walked along, the woodcutter explained that the purpose of each tree is contained in its natural shape: some are straight for planks, some have the proper curves for the ribs of a boat, and some are tall for masts. The woodcutter told his grandson that by paying attention to the details of each tree, and with experience in recognizing these characteristics, someday he too might become the woodcutter of the forest.
A little way into the forest, the grandson saw an old oak tree that had never been cut. The boy asked his grandfather if he could cut it down because it was useless for boat building - there were no straight limbs, the trunk was short and gnarled, and the curves were going the wrong way. "We could cut it down for firewood," the grandson said. "At least then it will be of some use to us." The woodcutter replied that for now they should be about their work cutting the proper trees for the boat builders; maybe later they could return to the old oak tree.
After a few hours of cutting the huge trees, the grandson grew tired and asked if they could stop for a rest in some cool shade. The woodcutter took his grandson over to the old oak tree, where they rested against its trunk in the cool shade beneath its twisted limbs. After they had rested a while, the woodcutter explained to his grandson the necessity of attentive awareness and recognition of everything in the forest and in the world. Some things are readily apparent, like the tall, straight trees; other things are less apparent, requiring closer attention, like recognition of the proper curves in the limbs. And some things might initially appear to have no purpose at all, like the gnarled old oak tree. The woodcutter stated, "You must learn to pay careful attention every day so you can recognize and discover the purpose God has for everything in creation. For it is this old oak tree, which you so quickly deemed useless except for firewood, that now allows us to rest against its trunk amidst the coolness of its shade.
"Remember, grandson, not everything is as it first appears. Be patient, pay attention, recognize, and discover."
Be patient… the crises and moments of despair will come but the Bible assures us God has a plan for each and every one of us. He knows suffering and pain and walks with us on our journey in life. Everyone and everything has purpose. Our purpose as Christians can be found in the catechism of the Book of Common Prayer. Any of you recall? Here is the question: what is the chief purpose of mankind? Answer: The chief purpose of mankind is to glorify God—to glorify the God who created us in His image, who loves us and who has redeemed us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
As Christians, we are to recognize the dignity in each person, as we are commanded at our baptisms; we are to discover the purposes of the Christian—to share the Good News, that God so loved the world, so loved you and me that He gave His only begotten Son, to the end that all who believe in Him would not perish in sin but have eternal life.
We must be like those earliest followers of Jesus, like Mary Magdalene, the first witness to the resurrection, and like the Beloved disciple who ran past Peter to look in and see the empty tomb. He saw and believed. The Beloved disciple gives us his example. He saw and he believed. Thomas, the doubter, also believed but he needed proof. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe, says Jesus.
It is very hard to believe in a world where so much goes wrong, in a society where we seem to hear constantly of murders and violence. These events can cause us to harden our own hearts and to question the resurrection. We cannot see the risen Lord so it is hard. This was the dilemma even in those first few moments after the resurrection. Mary Magdalene experienced the risen Lord and her reaction? She did not recognize Jesus. She thought He was the gardener. Then there is the post resurrection experience of the disciples… recall the road to Emmaus? The disciples walked with Jesus but scripture says their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
Today, our eyes are kept from recognizing Jesus when we give in to despair, to desperation, to human nature—pride, envy, jealousy, anger, licentiousness, greed, etcetera. We can fail to lose sight of Jesus in our midst when we give in to the false notion that ‘all I need in this world is me, myself and I. I need no other help. My own abilities, my own education, my own desire have taken me to where I am and ultimately power and respect are all that matter.’ It is these false notions that lead us far away from God.
Thanks be to God that Jesus rose from the dead! Jesus died that you and I might have life, but not just any life. He died that you and I might have abundant life, filled with purpose. That purpose is to glorify God and to share Good News that God loves us unconditionally and has died for our sins. Through His blood we are saved from sin and through the Holy Spirit we are given new life, healing, hope and purpose!
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I take great pride in knowing Jesus is alive and living in me and you. I take great joy in knowing that He is found in our neighbour. I take great comfort in hearing of the many who have chipped in to help in the flood situation and who work tirelessly to prevent loss of life. Take a look at the many who offer themselves for the sand bagging effort. There is where you will see purpose. There is where you see God at work.
Like the great oak that has purpose we cannot necessarily detect, we too have purpose and we too must be attentive to listen for the voice of Jesus as He calls to us. Once Mary heard the good news she had to spread it. We, too have Good News to share. Let us embrace the risen Lord in our midst and share the Good News with all who we come in contact with. May the Lord bless us in the days ahead. The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Hmmmmm. Ever heard that phrase, "Grow up!!!" Usually, it's from a mom or dad reacting to a child's tantrum, or perhaps two adults arguing about something nonsensical.
Growing up seems like such a straight forward concept, but in many ways, some do not, and some do not want to. Remember that children's movie, "Peter Pan?" It's about trying to remain forever young.
Wouldn't that be nice? I used to think so, until I discovered that life itself is all about "growing up." Childish attitudes get you nowhere. Childish behaviors often result in arguments and even violence.
A more mature way to look at life is that with each day we not only grow older, hopefully we learn from mistakes and get a little wiser. I have Aboriginal heritage on my mom's side. Elders in the Aboriginal tradition have taught me thgatwe are born into this life in order to become an elder. The task of the elder is to guide the young...it's a neat job!
If we are any good at it, hopefully we can instill some positive values around respect, loving your neighbor or just being the best person you can, despite the hardships life throws at us.
As a priest, I am privileged to walk alongside many and accompany them on the journey of life. There are many today who consider themselves "spiritual" and not "religious." I'm okay with that. However, I'd like to be able to dispel the myth that suggests a person can be a good Christian on their own without the Church. In order to grow, in order to understand, in order to be effective, Christians need each other as the Apostle Paul described. We, as Christians, are part of the same body and we need each other. If you are not in Church, we miss out on the very gifts oyu have been given. If you are not in Church, you miss out on the message God has for you for your personal journey.
But the Church is full of hypocrites you say!!! They say one thing and do another. True!!!! Love is preached but many do not act in love towards others. Jesus has said the Church is a hospital, a place for imperfect people. The perfect have no need of a doctor. The Bible has much to say about our lives and how to live them. We can always use one more hypocrite!! why not join our effort, and see how God will use you mightily inside and outside the Church.
We grow up spiritually when we connect with the very One who created us and knows us intimately. I invite you to do as the commercial says on the radio..."Come, investigate Jesus!"
Growing up seems like such a straight forward concept, but in many ways, some do not, and some do not want to. Remember that children's movie, "Peter Pan?" It's about trying to remain forever young.
Wouldn't that be nice? I used to think so, until I discovered that life itself is all about "growing up." Childish attitudes get you nowhere. Childish behaviors often result in arguments and even violence.
A more mature way to look at life is that with each day we not only grow older, hopefully we learn from mistakes and get a little wiser. I have Aboriginal heritage on my mom's side. Elders in the Aboriginal tradition have taught me thgatwe are born into this life in order to become an elder. The task of the elder is to guide the young...it's a neat job!
If we are any good at it, hopefully we can instill some positive values around respect, loving your neighbor or just being the best person you can, despite the hardships life throws at us.
As a priest, I am privileged to walk alongside many and accompany them on the journey of life. There are many today who consider themselves "spiritual" and not "religious." I'm okay with that. However, I'd like to be able to dispel the myth that suggests a person can be a good Christian on their own without the Church. In order to grow, in order to understand, in order to be effective, Christians need each other as the Apostle Paul described. We, as Christians, are part of the same body and we need each other. If you are not in Church, we miss out on the very gifts oyu have been given. If you are not in Church, you miss out on the message God has for you for your personal journey.
But the Church is full of hypocrites you say!!! They say one thing and do another. True!!!! Love is preached but many do not act in love towards others. Jesus has said the Church is a hospital, a place for imperfect people. The perfect have no need of a doctor. The Bible has much to say about our lives and how to live them. We can always use one more hypocrite!! why not join our effort, and see how God will use you mightily inside and outside the Church.
We grow up spiritually when we connect with the very One who created us and knows us intimately. I invite you to do as the commercial says on the radio..."Come, investigate Jesus!"
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