See with New Eyes

See with New Eyes, See Past What We Understand

Meditation on Daily Office Reading Acts 17:16-34

By The Rev. Marcia McRae

From Her Sermon Truth Shatters Belief

Preached May 29, 2011, Easter 6, at St. Barnabas’, Valdosta, GA

The Apostle Paul says: “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.”[1]

Like Paul, we must meet people where they are in their lives and speak in ways they can understand so that God’s Truth shatters false belief. These days many of us put a lot of trust in technology to keep us safe and free from harm. Most of us have experienced our technology crashing. In natural disasters technology can fail. People call these "acts of God" and think that God has crashed because of the death and destruction they see. God does not crash. God does not fail.

I can hear Paul speaking to us today: “People of the 21^st century, I see how extremely technological you are. As I surfed the net, I looked carefully at the objects of your worship – your Doppler radar, your advanced warning systems, your Droids, Twitter, and iphones,– and I found among them a pop-up ad inscribed: Totally integrated Unity! The unknown way to connect. What you worship as the unknown way to connect, this I proclaim to you: I proclaim the Ultimate Way to connect. God – NOT things made by humans – is what I proclaim. God IS in charge even in disasters, even in death.”

Technology does not prevent disaster and death. Technology can enhance and save lives. It cannot breathe the Holy Spirit into lives. Amen. 

I hope to post full text of sermon Sept. 16, 2012, after I take a photo of my apron that helps illustrates part of the sermon!

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[1] Lectionary Page. http://www.io.com/~kellywp/. Accessed April 19, 2011.

Learning Curve: English version of 9/14 post!

Before You Throw Away Trash....

A New Look at Value

By The Rev. Marcia McRae of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia

A Meditation for Holy Cross Day, Sept. 14, 2012

Y

our server in a restaurant brings a straw with your drink. Thin paper covers the straw to keep it clean. That’s its only value. When you remove it to use the straw, that bit of paper looks worthless – just trash to toss out, not even worth recycling....Can you imagine it has any value?

My friend, Ann, demonstrates that it does! In the video she shows how she uses that bit of paper to entertain her grandchildren in a restaurant. She makes the paper “come to life” and look like a worm. A grandmother adds value to a bit of trash. She revives its worth with a bit of water.

H

ow much more value God adds to our lives! How much more can we come to life through the Living Water that is Jesus! Ann’s simple demonstration reminds us to look beyond the obvious, to see with new eyes, to see the value Jesus adds to our lives. In God’s economy, nothing is wasted. Jesus’ death on the cross proclaims our value.

May we remember this lesson today (Sept. 14, as we commemorate Holy Cross Day) and every day. May we see anew the value of every human being – our brother, our sister in the human family. Each person has great value to God. May we remember this when we see ourselves as having little value.

M

y brothers and sisters, we are of great value because of the Cross of Jesus. We are beloved of God. Amen.

 

Postscript

I thank Ann and her husband, Pete, for their assistance with this presentation.

 

...With God’s help we will respect the dignity of every human being.	...Con el auxilio de Dios, respetaremos la dignidad de todo ser humano.
Baptismal Covenant Book of Common Prayer  p. 305	Pacto Bautismal El Libro de Oración Común  pj. 225.

Before You Throw Away the Trash-A New Look at Value/Antes de tirar la basura-una nueva vista de valor

Antes de tirar la basura.... Una nueva vista del valor

Antes de tirar la basura....

Una nueva vista del valor

Revd’a Marcia McRae de; Diócesis Episcopal de Georgia

Un Pensamiento para el Día de la Santa Cruz, 14 de septiembre 2012

El papel que cubre la paja para un refresco en un restaurante parace solamente un pedazo de basura, algo útil solamente para mantener la limpieza de la paja – nada más. Parece que es una cosa sin valor, que no vale la pena de usar otra vez....¿Fíjese que pueda tener valor o uso más?

¡

Mi amiga, Ann, demuestra que ¡ya tiene valor! En este vidéo. Ann demuestra como usa el pedazo de papel para diviértanse a sus nietos. Ella renueva el papel a parecer como un gusano. Una abuela da valor a un pedazo de basura. Renueva su valor con un poco de agua.

Cuánto más el valor que Dios nos da para nuestras vidas! ¡Cuánto más renueva la vida de nosotros por la Agua Viva que es Jesús! Como Ann demuestra, debemos ver más que el obvio. Debemos ver con una vista nueva, ver el valor que Jesús nos da para nuestras vidas. El muerto de Jesús por la cruz dice que nosotros tenemos valor, que nos vale la pena paral él, que Dios nos ve como preciosos hijos e hijas suyas.

Debemos recordar esta lección hoy (el 14 de septiembre que es el Día de la Santa Cruz) y cada día. Veamos el valor de todo ser humano – nuestros hermanos y hermanas en la familia humana. Para Dios cada uno tiene mucho valor. Recordemos esta lección cuando olvidamos nuestro valor propio y nos vemos nuestros mismos como sin valor.

M

is hermanos y hermanas, tenemos bastante valor a causa de la Cruz de Jesús. Somos queridos de Dios. Amen.

Doy gracias a Ann y su esposo, Pete, por su ayuda con la presentación.

...With God’s help we will respect the dignity of every human being.	...Con el auxilio de Dios, respetaremos la dignidad de todo ser humano.
Baptismal Covenant Book of Common Prayer  p. 305	Pacto Bautismal El Libro de Oración Común  pj. 225.