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| The Feast of Faith This week as I was thinking about my family, and particularly my mother, I thought of little sayings, bits of wisdom if you will that were imparted to my brother and I in our growing up years. Some were humorous in nature and spoken frequently while others became understood over time, largely through shared experience – living together as family. As I share a couple with you, perhaps some will be familiar, or maybe those expressions unique to your childhood will come to mind. Here we go. "If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again. All that glitters is not gold. A penny saved is a penny earned. One is closer to God in the garden than anywhere else on earth. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Reach for the stars. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence." And my Dad’s favorite, "Time waits for no one, it passes you by, it rolls on forever like the stars in the sky." It was fun to recall these sayings. In fact I called my folks to test them out. As we talked they remembered sayings from their childhood. It was fascinating. The wording and context of expressions may change over time yet still embody similar values. I could not help but wonder what sayings our children are incorporating in their young beings. But then I found myself shifting to the realm of faith. What prayers, scriptures, songs or hymns were planted within my soul in my formative years? Many things came to mind, but one phrase stood out rather quickly. These words attributed to Jesus are found only in the book of Acts, where he said, "It is more blessed to give than receive." Seen as a universal truth, I imagine most of us heard these words growing up whether or not we were raised in the church. This principle of self-giving is necessary not only for society as a whole, but within the confines of the family, workplace, and school. It is also essential for our sense of personal well being, our emotional and physical health. Yet, this morning I would like to look at this principle in reverse. Why? Because sometimes, that which is lifted up, even or especially when it is something good, can unconsciously minimize other elements of necessary truth. For instance, in incorporating in my person hood the idea that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you don’t say anything at all, it has been difficult for me to learn that at times it is necessary to say the hard or unpleasant thing. Therefore, I would like to suggest this morning, that at times it is more blessed to receive than to give. In the gospel story in Luke there is a man with great need. Scripture tells us he is paralyzed, unable to walk. However he has friends or acquaintances that are not only able but also willing to help him. They carry him to Jesus, to the one who can heal. Yet when they arrive they cannot get through because of the crowds. Not to be stopped by their mission and this man’s need, they somehow get him to the top of the roof and lower him, bed and all, through the tiles to where Jesus is. How easy is it for you to ask for or accept help? For some, this may not be much of an issue, but I would venture to say for many of us, if not most, we struggle in this area in one way or another. What hinders our acceptance? Sometimes it is pride. In just about two months our family will leave Anchorage and begin the rather long journey to Omaha. Fortunately for me, Steve likes to do most of the driving. Unfortunately for Steve, that places me in the role of navigator. Though I have improved significantly over the years, we still get lost. Generally, as soon as I realize that I do not know where we are I want to stop and ask for directions. Steve, on the other hand, is rarely lost. Not at all. He is merely, like Daniel Boone described, bewildered. The funny thing about bewilderment though, is that it can linger quite a while. You will certainly know if this is the case if any of you get a postcard this summer from Montreal! Now to be fair, I must also admit what frequently prevents me from asking for help. Several weeks ago, on a Friday afternoon I was to meet Belinda Breaux at 1:30 p.m. Just as I was leaving the church our realtor called. Someone was coming by to see the house in an hour. Now I must tell you we had not had anyone in for several weeks and though we had all been doing our best, it is difficult to have "house beautiful" day after day. I drove to the coffee shop and told Belinda I just had to go home, and straighten up a few things. "Let me help you," she said. Inside I gulped, but outwardly I said, "ok." While she was wiping kitchen counters I was upstairs cleaning the bathroom. A few minutes later I laughed as I told her, "You know, Belinda, our friendship has reached a whole new level this afternoon. Yes, I was worried about "wasting her time"; this was not why we had scheduled to meet. Yet, in allowing her to help me, a deeper bond was formed. The man in our story had moved beyond pride, past worrying about inconveniencing others, knowing full well, he needed someone to help him. He was paralyzed, unable to move. This condition of paralysis is something most of us rarely consider. We are fortunate indeed, to have been able to walk into this sanctuary today. We move quickly from here to there, taking for granted not only our mobility but also the freedom which its grants. Yet freedom of movement does not necessarily equate with freedom of spirit. We can be paralyzed from within. Years ago there was a great preacher in Britain by the name of Campbell Morgan. He was a compelling preacher, an outstanding pulpiteer, but he also possessed a wonderfully sensitive and compassionate heart. One Saturday afternoon while visiting in the neighborhood surrounding the church he came upon an elderly woman. As they talked he discovered not only was she was a member of the church but that she had no money and was about to be evicted from her home. Campbell Morgan was so touched by this woman and her story that he went to the congregation the next morning and told them what he had encountered. They too were moved and decided to take up a special offering on this woman’s behalf. It was a tremendous offering – a real outpouring of love. And when Campbell Morgan counted all that had come in – he couldn’t believe it. It was far more than the woman needed, enough in fact to pay for nearly half a year’s rent. He was so excited that he put the money in an envelope and went right over to the woman’s house to give her the gift in person. But guess what? When he knocked on the door, she didn’t answer. And when he knocked louder and louder, she still didn’t come to the door. And you know why? Well Campbell Morgan found out later. It wasn’t that the woman was not home, for she was. It was rather that she feared the person knocking at her door was her landlord getting ready to evict her rather than her minister bringing on behalf of the church family what she most needed. Is there anyone who has been knocking at your door whom you have chosen not to acknowledge? Are there any areas in your life where you feel paralyzed? What prevents you from moving freely? Perhaps it is fear or uncertainly of what the future will bring, maybe it is recognizing that a relationship you care about is strained and you don’t know how to make it right, or maybe you find yourself existing, going through life’s daily motions but wondering where or what is your unique purpose? What can be done? Our inner voice reinforced by the society in which we live may tell us to buck up, show that stiff upper life, and try a little harder. This rough time will pass. Realistically, there are some situations when it would probably do us well to listen that voice, to place mind over matter. But it is my belief that most of the time keeping that with which we struggle locked inside, only perpetuates our paralysis. In the gospel story we are told that it is some men who carry the paralytic to Jesus. We are not told actually how many helped, but let me ask you, if you were choosing four friends to assist you in being healed of your present-day paralysis, whom would you choose? Macrina Wiedekehr writes in her book, The Song of the Seed, "The faith of others can be a priceless gift in your healing process." When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." Did you notice the pronoun that was used? Jesus is emphasizing not the man’s faith but the faith of those who carried him. Thinking about your four friends Macrina continues, "What quality in each of these friends do you most cherish? The seeds of these qualities are already in you. Water them with your faith." This week I tried her exercise. It was not difficult to identify some areas where I feel stuck. But as I spent a little more time I discovered that that which first serviced was not really what prevents freedom of movement in my life. I gave my paralysis a name. Then I listed four friends and the qualities I cherish. Macrina was right, their life-giving seeds had been planted within me. At the risk of sounding to simplistic, I believe as I water these seeds with my faith, recalling my friend’s gifts when bound in paralysis, I will discover over time greater freedom and movement. It is not that Jesus could not heal from a distance, for from other gospel stories we know this to be true, but rather in this instance God choose to heal through the faith of others. Many times our healing, our growing in wholeness, in understanding, in acceptance, is dependent on allowing someone else to carry or help us for a period of time. This morning we are commissioning six Stephen Ministers to serve you, the people of St. John. These six individuals have completed over the past six months fifty hours of lay care giving training. Drawing upon what they have learned and will continue to learn, they seek to offer the love and compassion of Christ through the vehicle of a caring, listening friendship. As Stephen Ministers they do not come as counselors or cure-givers, but as willing vessels to be used and directed by God with the prayer that the one with whom they meet might find greater wholeness. Conversations that are shared are confidential. Last week in thinking about today’s service I picked up this little book off my shelf entitled, I’m Thinking of You – Spiritual Letters of Hope and Healing by Herbert Brokering. It contains letters written by the author to a woman named Bonnie who was recovering from the same type of heart surgery Herb had experienced twelve years before. I would like to share one entry with you. It is entitled Connected to Others. "You have never wanted to be a burden to others. You didn’t want others to feel you couldn’t make it on your own. You wanted to be self-sufficient. Why do we feel we’re a burden when others care for us? Why do we feel guilty when our lives make sudden demands on others? Why do we feel we have to make it by ourselves? Life is a network, a fabric, an intricate connection. Remember the lake we visited last summer? Remember how the lake was healthy, growing, clean, clear? Remember how we talked about everything in the lake as related, intersected, connected? We saw the lilies and water and tadpoles and turtles and logs and grasses and ducks all as one family. They belonged together. Together they all made up the lake. So it is with you and me. We are like that lake – we are interconnected, related, together. We aren’t isolated or separate. We can’t live on our own. Remember how we loved the lake? I don’t believe we thought any part of the lake felt inferior to the rest, isolated from the rest, guilty for needing the rest. When one element of the lake changes or shifts, the rest of the lake responds to accommodate it. Together, all the parts are in motion, making the lake constant and well. We heal together. We get well when we’re connected... Remember the lake." Luke writes,"…And the power of the Lord was with him to heal." That same power is still active and present through the gift of God’s Holy Spirit today. Yet, it is not for us to know how or when God will choose to act, only to be willing to be channels of reception, whether that is as a giver or receiver. Since January, there has been an evening sharing and prayer group for women which meets monthly. Using the book, May I Have This Dance, the theme for May was entitled, A Rushing Wind. The writer, Joyce Rupp, shares a story of a man whose spiritual journey to that point had been mainly an intellectual one. He felt safe and secure when he kept his faith in his head. He didn’t allow his feelings or his intuition to have much effect on his spiritual growth. He realized this and knew that he needed to experience God in his heart as well, but he was stuck. At a conference with the author he speaks to her of a recent meditation on Roman’s 5:5: "God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Sprit that has been given to us." As he described being astounded at the generosity of God’s goodness, he paused and took a deep breath. Suddenly the reality of God’s goodness touched his heart. It was a complete surprise to him. As he sat quietly tears began streaming down his cheeks. The rushing wind had penetrated his heart and he was overcome with the power of God’s abundant love. To remind me of this verse I have kept this pitcher on our kitchen counter this month. Each morning when I see it, I pray for God’s love to pour not only into my heart but those with whom God brings to mind at the time. Scripture does not say that God’s love trickles, or is given drop by drop. No, God’s love is poured generously into our hearts. May God grant each of us the grace to receive that poured out love in whatever form it is offered, and like the paralytic recognize when the help of others is needed for healing and wholeness. Amen.
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May 14, 2000
