Abide in Me

Sermon for August 23, 2015 Proper 16B-RCL

1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43        

Psalm 84                                                      

Ephesians 6:10-20                                          

John 6:56-69                                                 

Today we come to the end of a series of readings from John on the bread of life. Starting with the feeding of the 5000 and culminating with Jesus teaching in the synagogue and wrapping it by comparing himself to the manna that God fed the ancestors in the wilderness.  Jesus is teaching about the incarnation here.  God has come to earth in the form of Jesus.  A God that – in our reading from the Book of Kings is too big to be contained in the temple – and is there for both the faithful of Israel but also the foreigners.  That same God is sitting in front of the people and telling them that he – this man Jesus - is the incarnate God.  It is scandalous. 

Abide in me said Jesus.  Our readings today all reflect on a call to trust in God.  And Jesus refines it further with the invitation to abide in God.  We probably wonder at the words of the people “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it.”  After all we hear this through a filter that was not available to the people in the story.  We hear it through the filter of Eucharist.  We have – as with so many of our bible stories – tamed it.  We have lost the scandal.   We see this teaching through the lens of Eucharist.  We have turned it into a passage about communion – a wafer – or perhaps a small piece of bread and a sip of wine.  But it is more.  It is about how we are called to enter into the presence of God – and how that presence within us calls us to action.

On some levels the scandal could be about the Jewish dietary laws and the thought about eating flesh and drinking blood – the taking of the metaphor to the extreme that was the problem.  Sure that may have played a role but I don’t think that is all of it.  This comes after Jesus is teaching about Moses and the bread given in the wilderness.  This is about the call of faithfulness and that the people have turned away from that call time and time again. 

Abide in God.  Do the work God would have us do.  In John’s Gospel there is never a question that Jesus is the incarnate God.  The very opening takes Jesus genealogy back to the beginning of creation.  Not to a manger with the animals but to the very beginning of creation. The people are still hoping that Jesus will be the next Moses – or better yet David – and will lead them away from their current exile of occupation.  But instead Jesus offers a path of discipleship.  A hard path that requires us to do the hard work.  Like our reading from Kings we are called to recognize the foreigner – those that we don’t like – also have an “in” to God.  It is hard work.  And this is a hard passage.

Another preacher I read said “But “abiding” with Jesus is difficult. Staying with Jesus and learning from him is a long process. For many, a quick fix would be more attractive. The crowd was initially attracted to Jesus when they saw him as a Moses figure -- one who could work miracles and provide political victories. As they continue with him, they learn that Jesus is not offering an easy victory but the long road of discipleship.”[1]

After the physical feeding of the 5000 and the healings along the way Jesus is saying that it is all about incarnation.  It is all about how the spirit of God – that is bigger than any temple or church – that fully abides in Jesus is calling for us to abide in it.  We are being called by God to be partners in making the dream come true.

So how do we continue to abide in God?  How to we continue to follow the incarnate God who ascended into Heaven?  We abide in God when we work to bring Jesus radical teaching into practice.  It is when we work for peace in the world.  Which is hard.  We are surrounded by news reports of people and groups that see the other – any one who doesn’t look like them – as the enemy and with almost unheard of violence kills that other. It would be easy to look at the self-proclaimed Islamic State and point to a group taking an extreme read on their theology and beheading people and worse.  We easily condemn that violence.

But what about the violence all around us?  What about the multiple shootings inside movie theatres?  That violence is being perpetuated by people just like us. 

What about the incidents that are coming to light more and more that we are far from a colorblind society?  The numerous stories of black people being pulled over for minor offences that led to death.  The xenophobic rhetoric from some of our presidential candidates who stir up fear and brand an entire group of immigrants as “rapists and murderers”. Where is incarnational theology in that?

This teaching of abiding in Jesus is hard.  And it causes as many to walk away today as it did over 2000 years ago.  But the twelve stayed the course. “Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."”  That is why we are here.  To listen – and hear -  week after week the words of eternal life. Words that call us to action.  Not just an easy bit of bread and sip of wine.  If we are truly to follow this Jesus than we have to see the incarnation not only in the ascended Lord but also in each other – and most importantly in those that society would dismiss. 

We need to see God in the black person who has been harassed and is angry.  We need to acknowledge that anger as being just and not dismiss it but try to understand it.  We need to answer the anger with love.  A love that comes from abiding in God and trusting that it will work.  We need to see those whom society has cast off not just as a class.  We need to recognize the individuals who are craving for God’s Love and our love.  Unfortunately some of God’s children have been so abused that they have taken refuge in drugs and alcohol and some become violent. But they are still children of God and, even if we are repulsed by them, we need to try and recognize their divinity too.

You see this spirit that flooded the temple in our reading from the book of Kings is the same spirit that came to earth as Jesus.  It is that same spirit that is God’s gift to the apostles on the first Pentecost.  That spirit is still with us today.  That spirit continues to call us to abide it God.  That Spirit calls us to be partners in bringing God’s dream of healing and feeding love to earth. 

Every time we open our hearts and come forward to receive the bread of life and the cup of salvation we are risking letting the spirit into our lives to abide in us and to sustain us.  That is why we are here.  We are here to be fed spiritually.  We are here to be fed physically.  We are here to be healed.  But most importantly we are here to abide in God and let God abide in us. 

But be forewarned.  Put on your seatbelts and crash helmets!  This is a difficult teaching and a difficult road.  The incarnate spirit has a way of breaking open our hearts.  The incarnate spirit has a way of driving us out of this church and seeing people differently.  The incarnate spirit dwelling in us will cause us to feed the hungry and heal the hurting.  When we abide in the spirit we will see the world differently and we will work with God on bringing his love to our hurting world.  Not just sitting back and waiting. We can’t wait for God’s angles to come down and sprinkle love around.    No when we walk down the path of discipleship that Jesus forged we will work to bring justice and love to this earth in our own time.

There is Good News.

The good news is that I see it happening around us.  I saw it Wednesday when we had 25 people scattered throughout this church hungry for the love of God.  I saw it in the 35 or so people provided a nutritious meal in our parish hall after the Wednesday service.  I saw first hand the miracle of the loaves and fishes in a meal prepared with love that fed more than anticipated – and there were even seconds for some of the very hungry. I saw discipleship in the way difficult people where treated with respect and love – even when one person had to be asked to leave.

So you see – it can be done.  We can open our doors and our hearts to those around us who hunger for God.   We can follow the incarnate one.  Not only on this corner but also in ways unimaginable when we work to bring God’s kingdom of love to earth now.   AMEN

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[1] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2603

A Whole Lot of Healing!

A Whole Lot of Healing!

Sermon for July 19, 2015 – Preached at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church Sacramento

Proper 11B-RCL

2 Samuel 7:1-14a                                                            

Psalm 89:20-37                                                               

Ephesians 2:11-22                                                          

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56                                                       

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

A whole lot of healing is going on!  That is what a friend said in relation to our Gospel reading today!  And she is right.  Oh…One thing you may have noticed – if you looked at the citation from today’s Gospel reading –  there is a big section that is left out.  I had to immediately look to see what it missing – because that is the kind of person I am.  I wanted to know – What did they leave out?  And why?  I also like to see what is going on before and after the assigned text – to put it in context.

So what are we missing?  The big thing that we are missing is the feeding of the 5000. But don’t worry – in the wisdom of those who put the lectionary together we read about the feeding of the 5000 next week – but from John’s gospel. 

This gospel reading takes place just after Jesus has set out the 12 two by two to proclaim the good news and to heal people.  We pick up the story when they get back and are excited by what they were able to do.  They were excited.  And why not?  They got to see a glimpse of God’s dream.  A dream where people are healed and Love reigns.  They got see that it is not just Jesus who is the vehicle for healing but – acting on god’s behalf – they could heal too!  Mark’s gospel tells us that Jesus was taking the 12 away to rest because “they had no leisure even to eat.”  But they don’t find rest.  Not is Mark’s gospel.  There is not time to rest!  There are people to heal.

Mark’s gospel can be both easy and hard at the same time.  Mark’s was the first gospel that was written after Jesus’ death and there is much urgency about it.  It seems that every sentence is jam packed with information and we transition quickly from one story to the other.  There is not a lot of set direction or painting of the scenery in Mark.  Instead it is filled with urgency – an urgency to bring God’s kingdom to this earth.  A kingdom filled with love and healing. 

Jesus – even when he is trying to go off and let the disciples find rest and relaxation takes pity on those who hunger for God’s kingdom.  In the rush of Mark’s Gospel there is a whole hot of healing going on.  And that healing is on the move. 

In our reading from the Old Testament Book of Samuel God tells David that he is not to build a permanent home for God.  That God – for the time being – is content to be in the tent.  To be mobile.  Later God will have a home built by David’s son Solomon but for now God tells David that God will build for David a house – a line of ancestors that are to work to bring God’s kingdom to fruition.  A promise that we see through our Christian lenses as being fulfilled in Christ.  That was what Mark saw.  That Jesus’ healing and teaching was fulfilling God’s promise to Israel.  Although in a way that was unexpected.

Jesus did not come as the expected messiah to overturn the powers of this world by violence.  Jesus came to overthrow the powers of this world by healing.  When we read about Jesus healing  it seems like he frequently gets in trouble for it.  Jesus heals on the Sabbath.  Jesus heals in the marketplace – and that word that we translate as marketplace has more of the meaning of a town square.  The place where yes the market was set up to exchange goods and buy food.  But also where the politics of the day happened.  It was the center of society.  And what does Jesus do?  He heals the untouchables.  He does not care if the sick are Jews or gentiles.  He does not care if they are servants or people of power.  He doesn’t care what day of the week it is or even if his disciples are tired and in need of rest.  Jesus heals.

Another preacher I follow, Elizabeth Webb, said “By healing the sick, the weakest and most vulnerable members of a community, in this space, Jesus is subverting the economy of this world through the very inauguration of God's kingdom economy. While the marketplaces of the world belong to the rich and powerful, in the kingdom of God this most political and commercial of spaces is occupied by those with the least. In the age to come, Jesus proclaims, "many who are first will be last, and the last will be first" (Mark 10:31). That age is now breaking into this age; we who seek to live God's kingdom here and now must follow Jesus's subversion of worldly power and wealth.”[1]

Jesus sees a people hungry for the good news.  Hungry for a shepherd that will lead and heal everyone.  Jesus’ healing is a subversive act.  He is on full public display.  He is not hiding in some out of the way place but he is confronting powers – both secular and sacred.  Power that would separate the weak from the powerful – the holy from the unclean – the insiders from the outsiders.  Jesus offers healing to everyone.  That is what we are called to do too.  We are to offer healing in ways and places that our society does not expect – and in many ways society does not want.

We are called as followers of this messiah – this Jesus – to go out and work as his disciples to bring healing to our world.  We are called to go our just like Jesus sent his disciples and to heal.  Church does not just happen on Sundays.  Church does not happen just inside these walls.  I bet I don’t need to tell you, the good people of St. Matthews that!  You do church here on this campus and outside of these walls everyday.  When you feed and clothe someone you are doing church.  When we sit a listen to someone who has no one to hear them – we are doing church.  Yes our churches, these buildings, when they are at their best, are places where we can find God.  But if that is the only place where we find God we are poor.  Because God happens all around us. 

Like the reading from Samuel God does not want to be locked away in a building.  God wants to go out with the people.  God wants to walk about and find ways to heal the individual and to heal our society.  One of my favorite authors and modern day prophets was a African American Episcopalian named Verna Dozier.  A theme that runs through her writing is that God has a dream.  And that dream is to bring to fruition a world ruled and marked with love.  And, she said, our job is to follow that man we call Lord – this Jesus and help bring that kingdom to fruition here – now.  We are not to look out for some future time in some far away heaven.  No.  We are to work at bringing God’s kingdom to earth now. 

You see – when we are partners with God in healing and bringing Love to this earth we are following Jesus.  Jesus empowers us to go out and heal.  Yes.  Each and every one of us are called to show God’s love for this world and to heal.  That is what the church is called to do.  That is what you are called to do.  You don’t have to be ordained or become a health professional to heal people.  Every time you greet one that society would shun you are bringing healing to earth.  Every time we give of our time, talent and treasures to build up rather than tear down – we are working to bring God’s dream of Love a little closer. 

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[1] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2540

All Lives Matter

Proper 7B – RCL- Sunday June 21, 2015

1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49
Psalm 9:9-20

2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Mark 4:35-41

When evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lee Lance, Susie Jackson, Daniel L. Simmons, Depayne Middleton Doctor

Dylann Roof

Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” A simple request.  One that does not leave room or time for analysis.  It reminds me of my dad.  For many years he would say to mom “Lets go for a ride.”  No destination was offered.  No purpose given.  Just a ride.  Admittedly the ride might turn out to go and take advantage of some special deal on fishing gear.  Or to check out a potential fishing spot.  But many times the ride was just – well – a ride.

That is what Jesus is asking.  For us as his modern day disciples to get in and go for a ride.  To go to the other side.  No discussion of what will happen on the other side. Or if the boat is the right boat to use for the journey.  Perhaps if the disciples had the weather app on their smartphones they would have said – wait a minute.  The forecast is for a windstorm to come.  We better wait is out.  If the disciples knew that when they got to the other side they would be encountering a demonic man living in a graveyard – they might not have gone.  Sometimes when we are called by God to go to the other side we want to take time to figure out if it is safe.  What is the weather going to be?  Will there be a place for us to dock and nice people to greet us once we arrive?  We overanalyze and have analysis paralysis.  God is asking us to continue to get on that boat and go to the other side. 

We are also called to take our society to the other side.  We are to take the great commandment seriously.  We are called to make a society where we love God and love our neighbors.  Sounds easy sitting here on a beautiful Sunday morning.  Sounded easy when I – several weeks ago - agreed to preach this Sunday. 

And then the storm.

This week the news was full of information that I could use in preaching.  I would love to focus on the intersection between Pope Francis’ encyclical and my secular career as an environmental scientist, and the story in the Gospel lesson. 

But a storm came up. 

The murder of nine people inside Mother Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina.  The murder of people inside the church during Bible Study and prayer.  How does this happen.  How does someone go into a bible study – and by some reports sit with them and participated for over an hour – and the next thing pull out a gun and shooting the pastor and eight members of the congregation.   In a holy space evil happened.

And the disciples said, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"  That is my call too sometimes when storms arise suddenly.  When things like the shooting in South Carolina happen.  It makes me wonder about our safety here.  We at St. Paul’s have been flinging our doors open widely and inviting all in to our services, our bible studies, our coffee hours and our midweek lunches.  Various and diverse people come through our doors.  And occasionally someone who – by their actions we perceive as dangerous or extremely disruptive come into our midst.  We have on rare occasion had to call the police to remove someone from the premises.  Thank God that is rare but it happens. 

When I heard of the shootings I thought that this could happen at St. Paul’s.  Should we therefore add card-readers to the doors and increase the level of security to that of an international airport? Should we add fences and gates?  Should we install metal detectors? I heard an interview with a black pastor that said some churches are considering the option of metal detectors.  Will it make us prejudge people’s predisposition to violence?  Will it make me change my quest to see everyone I meet as made in the image of God – and to treat them that way?  I hope not.  I certainly plan on throwing open these doors to our sanctuary – to our holy space – as wide a possible.  To welcome in the unwelcomed and the weary – as we have been – and perhaps to even find ways to increase our hospitality.  Because we are still called to “Go to the other side” and locking ourselves away won’t stop bad things from happening.  We are more likely to get struck by lightening than be subject to violence in our churches.  But we do need to have our eyes open.

We are also called to take our society to the other side – to a place where we do see all people first as being created in God’s image.  TO first see that and not first see someone as black, gay, homeless or – well to not see people as “others”. 

One of my fellow chaplains during my clinical pastoral education brought up the topic of racism in our society.  It is not a topic that we wanted to talk about – perhaps because the other five of us in that room felt we were not racist.  Perhaps because the other five of us where white – and relatively economically well to do.  We didn’t want to see our economic or visual advantage.  Most of us had never been ignored in a restaurant because of how we looked.  Most of us have never had someone cross the street in fear – just because of the color of our skin or how we are dressed.  And besides this is California and not the deep south.  But discrimination does happen here.  More often than we would like to admit.

Andrea – who gave me permission to tell this story  - said, “We stopped at a winery in Napa (son of one of Napa's most famous wine makers) for a tasting on our way with the intention of purchasing a nice bottle (or two) for our get away.  The tasting room was not overly crowded, there were at least two tasting room associates behind the counter not helping customers.  We walked up to the counter and waited to be helped.   Both associates behind the counter turned around, looked through us, then turned their backs.  I patiently waited for them to turn around again and assist us, but after a few minutes I needed to walk away before I blew a gasket. Anil continued to stand at the counter trying to get some acknowledgment.  We were probably there about 10 minutes and had yet to be acknowledged when I decided I'd had more than enough and stated somewhat emphatically if they didn't want our money, we'd find another winery who did.  [This] is a blatant instance of racism I've experienced with Anil.  It was an eye opener.  I kept trying to justify people's actions - it was 2005 - 2007, still relatively close to 9/11/01, and people were still "sensitive" to people who appeared to be Middle-Eastern, for example.  But the more I thought about those incidents and experienced the "subtle" discrimination, I have stopped trying to justify it.  As a human race, we have the capability to hurt so deeply with words and actions, let alone with violence and outright hatred. The violent acts get the news coverage, but how often do we stop to think about the impact of our own words?”  The truth is that we still have a strongly “ism-ed” society. 

We still face racism, sexism, classism and so forth.  Our society still judges people by their appearance first – and then only after we get to know them do we see them as people made in the image of God.  Our churches are not immune.  Sunday is still the most segregated time in America.  We go to our particular church that was set up to serve a particular community.  Even when the community around us has changed.  Lets face it St. Paul’s was founded by very wealthy white men. E.B. Crocker was a member of the underground railroad and an abolitionist.  But that does not change the fact that we were established by wealthy white men.  Yes, we are rightly proud of the role our parish has played in the history of California. 

Likewise the church in South Carolina – Mother Emmanuel African Methodist  Episcopal Church – is proud of the role they played in their history.  A church founded by former slaves and where former slaves were free to worship God.  Free to worship God at a time when many churches – including many Episcopal Churches either had separate services for black people or made them sit in balconies. 

It is into that setting that a young white man, Dylann Roof – armed with a gun – worshipped with his victims and then shot them.  According to news sources – when asked by one of the victims to stop he responded "'No, you've raped our women, and you are taking over the country ... I have to do what I have to do.' And he shot the young man."  This act of violence was directed at these people because of their race.  And a fear of them as a “group”.

It is easy to say that this was an isolated case.  That the shooter is mentally ill.  Perhaps on drugs.  Which could all be true.  But it is also true that parts of our society feed such beliefs.  One has to look no farther than the on-line comment section on any news story to see people blaming “the other.”  Blaming the “illegals”, or the “welfare frauds”, or “the gays”, or “the blacks”, for whatever they see as wrong.  And then some deranged soul takes it to extremes and people are dead.

We are called to go to the other side.  We are called to see that all lives matter.  That black lives matter.  That gay lives matter.  That homeless lives matter.  Indeed, that all of creation matters.  That it is all made by God for Good and we are called to be partners in making the good.  But we will not get there with out storms.  The storms will continue until such time as God’s dream of love is made a reality on this earth.  And from the news this week we still have a long way to go. 

But in the midst of the storms we can be comforted – even during those comfortless times – that God is on the boat with us.  Then the  disciples said, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" and there was dead calm.  He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"  We are called during the storms we encounter in bringing God’s dream of love to earth to have faith.  Faith that in the end Love wins.  Not hate but love wins as is evidenced by the families of the murdered confronting and forgiving the killer.  That is why we are called to do one of the hardest things that Jesus’ asked us to do.  And that is to pray for and love our enemies.  Because that is the only way God’s dream will come true.   It is easy for us to pray for those who where killed in the senseless act of violence in Mother Emmanuel AME church this week.  But it is hard to pray for the young man that killed them – but that is our call.  TO pray for all of them – the dead, those who grieve for them and the one who killed them.  But we are called to do more.

We are called to get in the boat and go to the other side.  We are called to see all lives as created by God and good.  We are called to work and challenge society when our “isms” start to control our actions.  We are – in short to work towards bringing God’s reign of love to our societies.  Oh yes there will be storms.  But the God who stilled the wind for the disciples will still the wind for us too. But we have to get in the boat and travel to the other side to experience God’s actions.  We can’t just sit here and wait for God’s reign of Love to happen.  We have to be partners in making over our world.  We are called to throw open our doors – both our physical doors and the doors to our hearts and souls – to throw them wide open and to create a society where all lives matter. 

Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lee Lance, Susie Jackson, Daniel L. Simmons, Depayne Middleton Doctor

Dylann Roof

Amen.

Homily for the Repose of the Soul of Lloyd Thurston

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Psalm 139:1-11

Revelation 21:2-7

Matthew 5:1-9

We are here today to say farewell to a good a faithful servant of God – Lloyd Thruston. But we are a peculiar people in that we don’t say that this is the end.  But rather another beginning for Lloyd.  Our prayer book says it best – life has changed not ended.  To that end the service today is an Easter Service.  We believe that just as Lloyd was baptized into the life of Christ he will also share in Christ’s resurrection.  Lloyd will – at the last – be an inhabitant of that New Jerusalem we heard about in our reading from the Book of Revelation.  When God’s dream for us is finally realized and God’s glorious reign of Love inhabits the Earth Lloyd will be there.  Between now and then all we know is that Lloyd has gone to be with his Savior.  In another reading that is sometimes used for memorial services Jesus tells his disciples that there are many rooms in his Father’s house and that he goes to prepare a place for us.  Author and New Testament Scholar N.T. Write said that the mansion with many rooms is more of a waiting place for when the New Jerusalem comes rather than a permanent place.  So today we say farewell to Lloyd but only for a time. 

But knowing that this is not the end still does not make it easy for us.  We will still miss Lloyd dearly.  His dear Husband Wade has accompanied Lloyd for nearly 30 years and especially lovingly on Lloyd’s final leg of this journey in faith. 

Lloyd has – for as long as I can remember been a faithful member of St. Paul’s.  Lloyd, his brother David and Mother Alta faithfully attended St. Paul’s for many years.  Lloyd was a faithful member – even after he moved to the country – to the “ranch”.  A move that was caused – at least in part – by his love of old cars.  A love perhaps not shared by his urban neighbors and Sacramento county zoning ordnances.   I am pleased that the beatitudes where picked for the Gospel reading.  I am pleased because I think Lloyd would rather not be the center of attention.  As long as I have known Lloyd – over 25 years – he has not been one to be in the limelight.  Lloyd epitomized the beatitudes in his quite way of welcoming people to St. Paul’s and his quiet way of working to show God’s love to all the people he met.

When I came to St. Paul’s Lloyd was one of the first people to welcome me.  As I got to know Lloyd I discovered a faithful and quite keeper of this church.  Back in the day St. Paul’s had numerous “Guilds” that took care of things.  It is perhaps only a slight exaggeration to say that if someone did an activity more than twice a “guild” was established and enshrined – complete with a patron saint!  Wade shared with me that he “recalled that in the latter half of the 1980s (and possibly some into the '90s?) Lloyd did quite a lot of dishwashing in the church kitchen. Someone (possibly Rand Laurent) dubbed him "Saint Flossie", and those who tended to help him were "Saint Flossie's Guild".  For many years Lloyd and several others would show up every Saturday morning to make sure the church was spotless for the Sunday service.  When I told the folk attending our Wednesday service last week of Lloyd’s passing and celebrated the mass intention for the repose of his soul and for Wade and all who grieve his passing, our trusty keeper of the thuribles and flowers – Sue – commented on the years that Lloyd cleaned this space and said that “it has never been as clean since”!  Perhaps a bit of hyperbole but as with all hyperbole a huge piece of truth as well.  Lloyd also was a stalwart in our Ushers Guild – which I am sure had been named after a patron Saint of ushers at one time – perhaps St. Julian’s Guild.  Even after Lloyd and Wade moved out to the Ranch - Lloyd faithfully drove up once a month to be an usher.  He did this until his health would not allow it – and even then a meek and humble Lloyd apologized to me for not be able to do it any more. 

Lloyd’s faith and humble love extended beyond this building.  He met his life Partner Wade here at St. Paul’s when a Marvelous Solemn High Mass (Wade’s description) was held in 1986 to inaugurate a chapter of Integrity in Sacramento.  Wade told me that he can – do this day – point to the spot in our Narthex where Michael Kalanquin introduced them.  Lloyd invited Wade out to dinner at Pava’s on February 16^th of that year and well – as they say that was it! They moved in with each other on St. Lucy’s day later that year and in 2013 – on St. Lucy’s day they were married here in St. Paul’s.  In addition to his beloved husband Wade, Lloyd leaves behind his sons.  I remember how proud Lloyd was years ago when he introduced me to his son Jonathan. Lloyd was a quite person but expressive.  You always knew when he was proud of someone and loved them.  His eyes glowed with that love.

Lloyd was always a supporter of my ministry.  He was one of the people in this church who continually – in his quite way – prodded me towards ordained ministry.  He supported so many people and asked nothing in return.  He opened up the ranch numerous times for groups to come up and have picnics – St. Paul’s accepted Lloyd and Wade’s hospitality a number of times. 

Today we gather to say farewell to Lloyd.  His earthly pilgrimage has ended and he is in that place “Where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.”  We are sad for our loss.  There will me moments in the days and years to come when some thing – some sight, sound – perhaps the rattling of a clutch!, or smell will remind us of Lloyd.  While he has left this earth his memory will live on in our hearts.  I invite you all to share your stories of Lloyd at the reception that follows.  To celebrate his life. 

I also call for all of us to share in Lloyd’s faith and work to bring God’s dream of love to this earth.  Lloyd worked tirelessly during his life to show the kind of love that builds God’s kingdom.  The kind of Love that will – in God’s time – bring the New Jerusalem to reality.  That is the work that we are all called to do.

Finally- I have to share that I had a funny vision of Lloyd meeting the Lord.  Being welcomed with open arms and greeted with “Well done good and faithful servant.” and Lloyd immediately asking if anything needed cleaning or perhaps an old vehicle needs repairing.  Perhaps Lloyd has once again joined St Flossie’s Guild – joined those who have gone before him in worshipping God by making sure God’s mansion is clean, vehicles are maintained and all are welcomed!

Doubting Thomas?

Sermon for Easter 2B- RCL

Acts 4:32-35

Psalm 133

1 John 1:1-2:2

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Alleluia Christ is Risen!

Happy Easter!  Easter is not a day but a season.  A season that lasts 50 days.  This year for me there it is a season of anticipation and planning as well.  At the end of the Easter season on May 23^rd, God willing and the people consenting, I will be ordained a priest here in this place.  On Friday I picked up the red set that I will be vested in which belonged to my God Father – the Rev. Wallace Christopher Sprague.  I also sent the file for the invitations to the printers.  And I met with the Bishop to talk about my ordination and what I am doing to prepare.  It is all becoming real.  And perhaps a little scary as well.   A calling that I have felt for many years and have been encouraged to take on by many of you as well is coming to fruition.  Perhaps Thomas is a good place to enter into new things!  

Poor Thomas always gets the bad wrap.  We like to call him doubting Thomas.  There are other monikers that would work equally as well.  How about rational Thomas?  Or scientific method Thomas?  Or perhaps plain ol’ simple Thomas the human.  Because Thomas is just like the rest of us.  Thomas is just like the other disciples locked in the empty room.  They did not believe Mary when she told them that Jesus had risen. They did not understand the empty tomb any more than we do.  Jesus’ inner circle of followers were not following directions but cowering in a locked room for fear that those who advocated for Jesus’ execution had another cross with their names on it – or some other dreadful style of Roman execution. They where in shock.  And why not.  Their entire world had been turned upside down. 

So Jesus does what he asks us to do.  He shows up.  He offers them peace and comfort.  "Peace be with you."  Jesus knows that his followers needed some proof that what he taught was true.  That when the authorities hung Love on the cross they did not kill that love but made it stronger.  And now Jesus asks his disciples once more to go out and spread that love.  “As the Father has sent me, so I send you."

Unfortunately for Thomas he is not it the room.  Thomas wants no more than what the other guys got.  Just like us.  We want what the other person gets.  We get jealous of other peoples gifts and don’t see our own sometimes.  Lucky for Thomas Jesus shows up a second time.  Thomas gets his proof.  But Jesus also says that others will come to believe that have not seen with their own eyes the crucified and risen Christ.  “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."  

So how are we to get the reassurance the Thomas asked for?  Each and everyone of us deep in our hearts have asked the same questions.  If God exists then why… fill in the blank.  For me – the scientist – I like proof.  I am trained in the scientific method and the use of statistical hypothesis testing to prove theories.  And I get the proof of God’s love all the time around here.   

When I have had doubts that I am doing the right thing God sends proof.  When I looked and saw that we were feeding the hungry on Maundy Thursday and washing their feet I saw proof. Proof that we are commissioned by Jesus to love our neighbors.  When I sit at the bedside of someone dying – who although non-verbal, starts humming along as I sing – I see proof of God’s love.  When I see people who our society would like to go away be embraced by people in this church I see Jesus.

When I wrote my final evaluation for Clinical Pastoral Education one of the sections had me state my theological beliefs that guided my work as a Hospice Chaplain.  I said that one of my beliefs is that I can see God in the face of others.  That the light of Christ can be seen in each of us. That I take my baptismal vow to Seek and Serve Christ in all persons – and to respect the dignity of every human seriously. My group challenged me on this statement.  They thought is a nice aspiration but I couldn’t actually see the world through such lenses.  But I do.  When I am low the Holy Spirit sends the least likely people to show me Christ’s wounds.  Yesterday I gave out a sack lunch to a fellow.  He thanked me and then quietly added “My name is William.”  He might as well of said “My name is Christ”.  At that moment I did not see a hungry and homeless person standing in front of me.  I saw Christ – just a surely wounded by society as the risen Christ that appeared to Thomas was wounded.  When I see you all providing food and care to each other – and especially to those who others avoid – I see the love of Christ at work in the world. 

If we open our hearts and our eyes we can see Jesus all around us.  We can put our hands in his side.  And we can see his love.  That is all the proof that I need.  Sure – there will be moments of doubt in our lives.  Moments where we are blinded by grief or hurt. When one of our fellow inhabitants of this earth cry out for proof that there is love in this world then that is when we are called to show up.  When we are called to be Jesus’ hands, feet and heart.  That is when we are called to bind up the wounds.  That is when we are to feel the breath of Jesus blowing through us.  

Because we tend to focus on Thomas on this second Sunday of Easter we miss part of the story – there is a lot going on in this short part of the Gospel!  Jesus does not just show up to calm the fears of his followers.  In the Gospel of John he also breathes the Holy Spirit into them.  This is John’s version of Pentecost.  Jesus commissions the disciples and fills them with the Holy Spirit to go out and try to bring God’s dream of Love into the world.  And each one of us has also been filled with God’s spirit.  A spirit that calls us to love and action.  We are called on doubting Thomas Sunday to see the wounds of Christ around us.  To feel the breath of God pulsing through our bodies and to go out.  To go out of our locked rooms where we hide in fear.  To go out of this Church and to spread the Love that refuses to die.  

I invite each of us during these great 50 days of Easter to see the love that refused to die on the cross.  To feel the breath of the Christ and the Holy Spirit flowing through our lives.  To offer God’s love to those who are locked in their own rooms of fear and hurt.  To help heal the wounds of Christ that the world is still inflicting.  In short to feel the love that God has for his creation and to help spread that love.

Alleluia Christ is Risen!