Finish the sentence: I dream of a church

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Reflection: J2A pilgrimage

Counting our Blessings
By The Rev. Marguerite Alley

           I have just returned from Pilgrimage with 8 amazing young adults and three very brave and committed “full fledged” adults. During our time together we learned a good bit about the Heifer International model, sustainable farming, the global distribution of wealth along with practical stuff like how to make and cook over an open fire, milking a goat and farming. We participated in two amazing service projects. The first was to help a young priest in an inner city parish beautify and re-organize some of the church space and the other was to host lunch and participate in an outdoor Eucharist at a very cool church called Common Cathedral .

            In all of our adventures together we were able to identify and give thanks for the blessings we enjoy often without thinking about them. Hot (daily) showers, running water, beds, bug spray, food prepared for us, food we prepared for ourselves, food we gathered, food we served, sleeping bags, A/C and so forth were but a few of the things we became more aware of in their absence. If there were ever a time in our lives when we were likely to “count our blessings” it was in the last 13 days.

           We have heard that phrase “count your blessings” since we were young. In some ways we have made a religion of counting our blessings. But one thing I became aware of in the past 13 days is that counting is not enough. Being aware is not enough. What I realized is that like saying “sorry” and not changing my behavior, counting my blessings, while doing nothing to guarantee being able to pass them on, is a waste of time, a waste of resources and misses the whole point of being aware in the first place. If you are aware of a danger down the road, you pass that info along to people you pass heading in that direction. If you are aware of something, doing nothing to make others aware is as good as being oblivious.

           Let me explain what I mean here. Being aware and thankful is certainly a good thing. But it is just the beginning. It should not ever be the end result. It does not require action to be aware, to acknowledge the source. Jesus didn’t say “be thankful” and just sit there. He said “go take care of the poor, the widowed, the orphans”. Take care of the earth, be good stewards of your resources. Maybe not in so many words, but I can’t find any compelling evidence to suggest that Jesus’ message was to use up, destroy and ignore. Being a follower requires action. It requires us to live in such a way as to reflect the gratitude we feel, not just say we feel it. Being truly thankful means when we see something wrong we work to change it. We don’t just say “Boy, I sure am grateful I don’t have to live that way”. This to me is the difference between being a follower of Christ and being a “Christian”. Identifying myself merely as a Christian only designates that I am neither Jewish nor Buddhist nor Muslim nor Agnostic. Living in such as way as to reflect the message of Jesus so that others may see it and understand it is being a follower.

            Sometimes I have made the made the mistake of confusing all the things I enjoy in my life with blessings. Blessings, in my mind, are not synonymous with “things” like money, A/C, cars, houses, jobs and so forth. Those are merely things we enjoy. The tricky part is if we consider these blessings, then we are essentially saying that those who do not have these things are somehow “cursed” and that is just not true. To believe that these things we enjoy (education, jobs, health care, etc) are blessings is to say that God wants us to have these things, but wants others to suffer which of course doesn’t line up with our theology. To continue to believe that I am blessed because I live in a wealthy country, in a wealthy state in a well to do city and neighborhood and enjoy the fruits of my labor to the extent I do is to say that God has singled me out for blessing and has frozen out the homeless guy I passed this morning packing up his stuff to begin his daily search for food, water and a cool spot to spend the day. I just cannot buy into that. Instead, I believe I am called to begin to separate the threads of blessing from privilege. In order to more fully show my gratitude for the real blessings we enjoy as children of God, I intend to be more intentional about living in such a way as to reflect that gratitude in everyway. From consuming less to giving more, we can all be a blessing to each other, to the church and to the world.

Sermon: The "ICK" factor

July 1, 2012John A. Baldwin

I want to do a quick poll this morning. Please raise your hand if you have read and studied the Book of Leviticus recently... Hmm I thought so... I haven't looked at it in great depth myself since my seminary days. It isn't what I'd call exciting, edge-of-our-seat scripture. In fact, it's probably better suited for putting us to sleep. Nonetheless, it does give us some interesting insights into the ritual and worship of the ancient Israelites.

Leviticus is the third book in the Old Testament, and it rests on the belief that the faithful enactment of ritual makes God's presence available, while ignoring or disobeying it undermines the harmony between God and the world. Chapters 1-10 describe the proper procedures for handling the blood of animals in the sacrifices that are offered to God, and describe the work of the priests who offer these sacrifices. Chapters 11-15 instruct the laity on purity (or cleanliness). Eating certain animals produces uncleanliness, as does giving birth; certain skin diseases are considered unclean, as are certain conditions affecting walls and clothing (mildew and similar conditions); as well as genital discharges, including female menstruation and male gonorrhea.

Leviticus 16 concerns the Day of Atonement, the only day on which the High Priest is allowed to enter the holiest part of the sanctuary to sacrifice a bull for the sins of the priests, and a goat for the sins of the laypeople. Chapters 17-26 contain the "Holiness Code". It prohibits a long list of sexual contacts and also child sacrifice. Penalties are imposed for the worship of false gods, consulting mediums and wizards, cursing one's parents, and engaging in unlawful sex. The code ends by telling the Israelites that they must choose between the law and prosperity on the one hand or horrible punishments on the other.

I'm sure you're wondering why on earth I'm talking about the Book of Leviticus, when it isn't even one of the scripture reading this morning. It's because it gives us a peek at what I would suggest is a very strong "ICK factor" in the psyche and character of the Israelites of long ago. For reasons we don't fully understand, they felt very strongly about the uncleanliness of touching certain things - animals, foods, diseases, body fluids, and dead things. 'Ugh! Don't touch them!' If you touched them, you yourself became unclean. Being unclean meant that you couldn't come to the Temple to worship the holy God. If you were unclean, you had to go through a rite of purification or cleansing in order to be welcomed back into society and into the presence of God.

These practices were very important to the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus' day, so it should come as no surprise that they responded with revulsion to the ways in which Jesus and his disciples disregarded them. In our Gospel reading this morning, there is a strong "ICK factor" in play. It begins with a woman, who has been afflicted with a blood disorder for 12 years, touching Jesus thereby making him "unclean" in their eyes. Leviticus 15:19 states clearly that anyone who touches a woman with a discharge of blood is unclean until evening. Jesus not only is touched by her, but he goes on to bless and heal her. "ICK". Then Jesus proceeds to the home of Jairus, grips the dead hand of a little girl and pulls her up. Another big "ICK". And that may have been a typical day in the life of Jesus. He touched lepers, and spent the bulk of his time with the great "unwashed" tax-collectors, prostitutes, the sick and diseased. ICK, ICK. ICK.  They could not understand and see Him as the One who had come to do what the Law was unable to do — make men and women clean and whole.

Jesus boldly moved past the "ICK factor" of his time, culture and society. To Jesus no one was unclean..... beyond the reach of his loving embrace. He set a new standard that the religious authorities found absolutely repugnant. Lest we be overly harsh in judging those religious leaders from a vantage point 2000 years removed from the scene, have there not been big "ICK factors" regulating human society down through history, and are there not still big "ICK factors" present in our own lives today?

Every one of us has things and experiences which cause us to recoil in revulsion. What makes you feel icky? (pause) I might include in my "ick factors" chiggers, tripe, floating dead fish, and a few others I won't mention. Just too icky to be mentioned in a sermon!! I suspect that together we might come up with a lengthy list. When we began our series on "Jesus - who do you say that I am?" I debated what picture I might display that was illustrative of ickyness. I came across one picture of Jesus picking his nose, but I was wisely persuaded to pass that one by. Instead I chose one from Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Chris that is very bloody. Not only would the Pharisees say "ICK" to this one, but I kind of feel that way myself. We prefer our portraits of Jesus to be cleaned up, and acceptable in polite company. We err on the side of overly emphasizing the divine in Jesus, perfect in every way, without blemish, sterile. Yet Christian theology is adamant that Jesus was human in every way that we are. He knew and experienced ickiness, and triumphed over it.

Jesus sets a powerful example for us of seeing in every human being, no matter how they might appear in the eyes of others - diseased, sinful, out of step with society - as a beloved child of God, and he treated everyone with grace and dignity. We should do no less.

As I reflect back over my own life, and particularly my growth as a pastor and priest, I have been confronted time and again with situations and people that have raised my ICK radar. I went to an all-boys prep school for 5 years as a teenager where homosexuality was not only taboo but terrifying. In the years since I have been blessed with friendships with many gay men and women who have helped me overcome what once was off-putting, and see them through the eyes of Jesus as fully worthy of respect and dignity. My parents drilled into me that women of another race or religion were absolutely off-limits to a white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Yet through the years I have come to witness relationships which are filled with grace that transcend those artificial boundaries based on fear.

During my first year of seminary in 1974, I began field work in a Boston rehabilitation hospital where I visited and ministered to men and women who were recovering from debilitating strokes, and life-threatening malignancies. I remember well the first time I dressed up in mask, rubber gloves, and gown and went in to see a woman who welcomed me with “Here's the lone ranger, come to visit the lone stranger”, and who helped me grasp the fullness of her humanity. As part of our training we went to view open-heart surgery from a gallery, which I found so intense I nearly passed out. Later in time I served as a chaplain in a locked acute, schizophrenic ward where bizarre behavior was commonplace. I also have spent time visiting in prisons, in detox units, and in ICU's. Through it all, I have grown in my ability to confront what once felt threatening, unclean, repulsive, and see beyond it to the person within. I am, I believe, a better priest and pastor thanks to these experiences, able to go into intense situations and be fully present in the name of Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ sets a high standard for those of us who choose to walk in his footsteps. Where others put up walls, drew back, employed fear and disdain to isolate, shame or embarrass, Jesus waded in without fear or judgment to love, heal and restore to wholeness.

Our Baptismal covenant calls us to this faithful journey of moving beyond our ICK factors, whatever they may be, in these questions, “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?”, and “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”

We're not talking here just about those who look like us, act like us, believe like us, smell like us, but about every human being. Jesus calls us to put on the eyes of God and look beyond the ickiness in human living, to the presence of the beloved children of God within. Amen.

Sermon: In Plain Sight

Pentecost 3B

June 17, 2012

The Rev. Marguerite Alley

 “In Plain Sight”

 One of the shows I like to watch these days is called In Plain Sight. The story line is about two federal marshals who help protect people in the  “Witsec” program. The Witsec program is a witness protection program for people identified by or testifying in a federal criminal case, and who are in danger as a result. Once they testify they are moved to a new city, given new names and  “start their lives over” so to speak, as different people. The stories each week focus on the challenges of letting go of our past. The title of course, comes from the notion that the best place to hide people is “in plain sight”..in other words, they become different people, but people just like you and me. We have often joked with each other about things lost and found in plain sight, so clearly this is a common human phenomenon.

Jesus is at the beginning of his ministry when he shares this parable. There are four things that kind of stand out about Jesus and his teaching. First, he is claiming to be the messiah. He actually mentions this in the first chapter as he says “the time is here”. Clearly, he has accepted his role and wants his followers to understand it as well. Second, he only trusts his followers with that info. He does not intend it to be shared publicly yet. Third, the vision of God and the kingdom that Jesus is offering the world is radically different from the established religious practice of the time. What he is offering doesn’t feel like an organized religion at all to his audiences. Fourth and finally, Jesus has this unusual fondness for being indirect…or to put a finer point on it, to speak of two things at once. “I will make you fishers of men”…….relating a business with which his audience is well familiar to something that will challenge them is a good example.

 The gospel for today is a bit puzzling. We are only in the 4^th chapter of Mark at this point. If this were the only gospel (and we assume the writer thought he was doing something novel) then we have had very little time to get to know Jesus, to ruminate on his unusual teaching style and to digest the import of his message. For us here at Emmanuel, we are going to spend the rest of the summer and a good part of the fall hearing stories and getting to know the real Jesus, not the Hallmark Jesus we have at Christmas and Easter. But now, we arrive here in the 34^th verse of the 4^th chapter  and we are told that Jesus never spoke plainly to people. He always taught in parables and then explained them privately to his disciples. I have often wondered at this. Since his disciples were with him everyday we would presume that they, of all people, would “get” his teaching and that he would only need to explain it to his other audience. Instead we are told, he never explained it to his larger audience. So either Jesus is a terrible teacher, or he feels that we are smart enough to get it on our own and the disciples were dufus’s…or there is some other explanation….hidden in plain sight, or kept in secret like the mustard seed.

It is important to note that in this and all the other parables about seeds, growing and sowing  the kingdom is what is sown….not the result. Like the kingdom is not a flower or a head of grain…but is the seed that sits in the dark earth, waits to be watered, needs the sun to grow and the kingdom itself is what produces the fruit or the grain….it isn’t the fruit or the grain. This is an important distinction.

Now if we examine this TOO closely and too scientifically we know there are seeds smaller than the mustard seed, and bushes that grow larger. It is not the point. The real point of this parable is the amazing difference between the seed hidden deep in the earth and the amazing living thing it becomes.  Frankly, I am surprised that he never used the baby being conceived in secret, growing inside unseen by the world and bursting forth, a new and living thing as a metaphor for the kingdom. Perhaps that is because of cultural considerations or because of how women were viewed. Imagine how that image would have turned their thinking upside down….women giving birth to the kingdom! A seemingly lifeless seed becomes a miraculous and useful living entity…all in “secret”. Actually, he does use this comparison in a later metaphor! This “in secret” thing is another image that Jesus is fond of . Interesting how the church picks up on some of that….”the mystery of the word made flesh”, “from you no secrets are hid”, but not on  his other images like non-violence (turn the other cheek) and doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Well I, as a teacher, am particularly interested in this notion of why Jesus only uses parables. It would certainly be a lot easier if he were more direct and just said what he meant in plain language. Just tell us what to do, how to act what to believe and so forth….the world would be a better place, don’t you think? If anyone is “qualified” to speak about God and the kingdom, to explain it to us, it certain must be Jesus..and yet he uses all these confusing little stories and quips and makes comparisons between things that are un-related, at least on first look. He intentionally hides the meaning in a sense. Is he trying to be abstruse? Is he trying to confuse us? If you are going to start a new religion, then for goodness sake just tell us what we are expected to know and do to belong! It really is exasperating!

I certainly don’t pretend to know the mind of Jesus. Perhaps our traditional interpretation of this parable is correct….if you have even a tiny seed of faith, you can grow to become something really useful and spectacular, like saving pennies or putting money away for a rainy day and not realizing how those little deposits have added up….but that seems a bit too obvious, given what we know about Jesus. What my reading tells me is that a more authentic interpretation of this leads us to the idea that there is nothing we can do, that the kingdom is already within us, waiting to be discovered; that our faith is the result not the impetus. The seed is in ground, no one can see it until it breaks ground and grows in plain sight. Even then, we have to really look at it, acknowledge it, tend and nurture it or it remains hidden in plain sight. Once we begin doing this, it grows out of control!

The last thing I want to say about this is about how we sometimes find great stuff in ordinary things. Like a rare book in a used book store, or a Stradivarius violin in a yard sale. Often, the thing of great value is found in the most ordinary places. I suspect that another reason Jesus doesn’t make things very plain or obvious is to remind us that sometimes we are surrounded by great treasures in our ordinary lives and we fail to recognize them. If we cannot recognize them here, we aren’t likely to be able to find them anywhere else. We are where the mustard seeds are sown and what we become as a result is the kingdom.