I Have Seen the Lord!

Easter Homily By The Rev. Marcia McRae

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Goldsboro, NC, 16 April 2017

Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Colosssians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18

What do I hold in my arm? [Congregation responded: "Easter Bunny"]

 

     Look what it really is!

A bear in bunny clothing!  

                                    

We all have times when we don't see things quite as they are. Maybe this costumed bear can help us relate to Mary in our Gospel.


Mary declares:

           I have seen the Lord!

Alleluia!

What a contrast we hear between the 1^st part of our Gospel, when she feels distraught & bewildered. Notice how she talks to Jesus without recognizing him there at the empty tomb.

Ever do this? Sometimes a person speaks in a place we don't usually see them or after moving away & we're just not sure who they are. Suddenly we recognize them & have a joy-filled reunion.

Once she recognizes Jesus, Mary has a joy-filled reunion & shares the Good News with the disciples. This Good News spreads through Peter's testimony we hear today in Acts.

What a difference we see in Peter who such a short time ago got confused about Jesus washing his feet & then denied even knowing Jesus. Jesus redeems our mistakes.

We have Good News to share:

God loves you. No exceptions!

May we have grace to share this Good News with our brothers & sisters in the human family.

What blessings we have knowing Jesus, knowing forgiveness of our sins & having new life in God's family. Through Baptism we receive forgiveness & are born into Holy Community with each other & God.

Notice what Jesus says in our Gospel. He tells Mary “go to my brothers” & tell them the Good News. The disciples become more than followers: they are brothers. You & I are Jesus' family & we have Good News to share.

Remember: in our Baptismal Vows we promise to seek & serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves. We promise to do this with God's help. As our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry says in his 2017 YouTube Easter message:

“Love wins.”

With God's help, we can share the Good News: We live in God's Love. Remember love is the new commandment Jesus gives us:

Love one another as I have loved you.¹

Do not be afraid to share it.

God gives us each other as brothers & sisters to work in community, serving where we are as the Body of Christ. We are the hands & feet of Jesus to help our brothers & sisters who do not know God to learn how much God loves them, to know they do not have to struggle alone with life's hard times, to know the joy of forgiveness of sins, the promised resurrection of the body & life everlasting. God's Love makes us strong & able to share, to meet life's challenges, to make a positive difference in the world.

Share the Good News: I have seen the Lord!

Think how you have seen Jesus. . . . .We see Jesus in many ways. Here's one way: Look around. Jesus is sitting “here in plain view”, as lyrics say in John Fischer's song “Jesus My Lord,” which also says:

. . . Have you ever stood in the family with the Lord there in your midst

                   Seen the face of Christ on each other?

Then I say . . . You've seen Jesus My Lord.

You have seen Jesus. I have seen Jesus.

I see Jesus in the faces of you sitting here right now.

What grace & beauty I see!

Bibliography

Bacon, Ed. 8 Habits of Love: Open Your Heart, Open Your Mind. Boston: Grand Central Life & Style. Hatchette Book Group. 2012.

Dios Habla Hoy: La Biblia. 2^nd Ed. Nueva York: Sociedad Biblica Americana. 1983.

Harper’s Bible Commentary. General Ed.: James. L. Mays. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers. 1988.

Holy Bible with the Apocrypha. New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press. 1989.

“Jesus My Lord.” Words & Music: John Fischer. http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/gospel-songs-chords/have_you_seen_jesus_my_lord.htm. Accessed: 15 April 2017.

Long, Thomas G. What Shall We Say? Evil, Suppering, and the Crisis of Faith. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2011.

Mitchell, Leonel L. Lent Holy Week and the Great Fifty Days: A Ceremonial Guide. Lanham, MD: A Cowley Publications Book. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2007.

New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. Eds.: Herbert G. May, Bruce M. Metzger. New York: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 1977.

1 Which we remember from our Maundy Thursday Liturgy”. BCP P. 275.

A New Heart & A New Spirit

Easter Vigil Homily By The Rev. Marcia McRae

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Goldsboro, NC, 15 April 2017

Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Exodus 14:10-31, 15:20-21; Ezekiel 36:24-28; Romans 6:3-11; Psalm 114; Matthew 28:1-10

On this night of nights, notice what Jesus says:

“Do not be afraid...”

Jesus says this to the women who come to the tomb early in the morning. He says this to you & me. His words have been heard by millions of Christians on other Easters, including the 44 Christians killed by suicide bombers in Egypt during Palm Sunday worship this week [April 9].¹ May they rest in peace.

These Christian brothers & sister of ours know the depths of Jesus' love more deeply than we can imagine. Notice what Paul tells the Romans & us: Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Paul says all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death & have newness of life, no longer enslaved to sin. His words complement what we hear from Ezekiel:

the Lord God says,

I will...sprinkle clean water on you,

& you shall be clean.

Tonight we have renewed our Baptismal vows & been sprinkled with water. Even though we are clean, we are human & will make mistakes. When we do, remember what we hear in Genesis when God creates: God sees everything he has made is good – very good. We know Jesus comes to make us & everything good again – very good.

Remember what we hear God assure us in our scripture from Ezekiel:

“A new heart I will give you...

a new spirit I will put within you...

I will remove from your body the heart of stone

& give you a heart of flesh.”

As Christians, we know this is possible because the loving heart of flesh which beats within Jesus stops beating on the hard wood of the cross. Jesus' human heart stops beating on Good Friday – the day that looks awful, the day that declares: God DOES love us & God redeems us through Jesus' death. Death is not the final word.

We celebrate this truth: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Jesus' Resurrection gives us confidence to live in new ways.

Jesus calls us into a new relationship with God & each other, to live in holy community. Notice tonight's Gospel from Matthew repeats details to emphasize the work we have to do to share the Good News of Jesus' Resurrection:

• The angel says to the women: "Do not be afraid... Jesus...has been raised...go quickly & tell his disciples."
• They leave with awe & great joy & run to tell the disciples.
• They run into Jesus, who also says, "Do not be afraid”.
• Jesus sends them to go speak to “my brothers”. Now the disciples are more than followers: they are brothers.

You & I are Jesus' family. We have Good News to share. Do not be afraid to share it.

In our Baptismal Vows we have just promised to proclaim by word & example the Good News of God in Christ. This Good News includes what we read in Romans: We are no longer enslaved to sin. We are no longer trapped in sin. We promise to proclaim this with God’s help.

Proclaim is an interesting word. It can mean [the dictionary² says]: “to declare publicly, insistently, proudly in speech or writing, to praise or glorify openly”.  My phone dictionary app also suggests: “extol: proclaim the rescue worker's efforts”³.

Proclaim the rescue worker's efforts:

Jesus is our rescuer.

This concept of the rescuer's efforts reminds me of the Chilean mining disaster in 2010. You may recall the mine's collapse kept 33 miners trapped 2,300 feet down in the bowels of the earth for 69 days – Aug. 5-Oct. 13.⁴

Humans have been trapped in sin a lot longer. You & I have Good News to proclaim to release trapped people. As we do this work, I encourage you to continue in the apostles’ teaching & fellowship, in the breaking of bread & in the prayers – all with God’s help.

We do this work with God.

We do this work in community.

God gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us in this rescue work so that our love may overflow more & more

with knowledge & full insight

to help us determine what is best.

Bibliography

Bacon, Ed. 8 Habits of Love: Open Your Heart, Open Your Mind. Boston: Grand Central Life & Style. Hatchette Book Group. 2012.

Dios Habla Hoy: La Biblia. 2^da Ed. Nueva York: Sociedad Bíblica Americana. 1983.

Harper’s Bible Commentary. General Ed.: James. L. Mays. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers. 1988.

Holy Bible with the Apocrypha. New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press. 1989.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proclaim. Accessed: 13 April 2017.

Jewish Study Bible: Jewish Publication Society TANAKH Translation. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004.

Merriam-Webster. Smartphone Dictionary app. Merriam-Webster Inc. 2012. Accessed: 14 April 2014.

New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. Eds.: Herbert G. May, Bruce M. Metzger. New York: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 1977.

“Suicide bombers kill 44 at Palm Sunday services in Egypt”. Associated Press article. Goldsboro News-Argus. 10 April 2017. P.7A.

Timeline: Trapped Chilean miners. Accessed: 14 April 2014. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/13/chile.miners.timeline/index.html

1 “Suicide bombers kill 44 at Palm Sunday services in Egypt”. Associated Press article. Goldsboro News-Argus. 10 April 2017. P.7A.

2 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proclaim. Accessed: 13 April 2017.

3 Merriam-Webster. Smartphone Dictionary app. Merriam-Webster Inc. 2012. Accessed: 14 April 2014.

4 Timeline: Trapped Chilean miners. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/13/chile.miners.timeline/index.html. Accessed: 14 April 2014.

When Life Looks Bleak. . .

Good Friday Homily By The Rev. Marcia McRae

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Goldsboro, NC. 14 April 2017
All Years RCL Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22:1-11; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42

Despite how bleak life looks on this dark day, notice Jesus is in charge.

When the mob arrives in the garden, Jesus comes forward & identifies himself. Although his hands are literally tied, it is poor Pilate whose hands are tied. Pilate tries 3 times to let Jesus go, telling the mob, “I find no case against him.”

Notice how much action comes in threes today as we experience this 2^nd portion of the 3-part drama of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday & the Vigil, which lead us to Easter:

• We know Peter says: I'm not his disciple. I'm not. I am not.
• The crowd cries 3 times for Jesus' death at the 3^rd trial Jesus endures. First is an informal trial by Annas, then a trial with Caiaphas the high priest, finally Pilate.
• Pilate has the inscription on Jesus’ cross written in Hebrew, Latin & Greek.
• And we have a trio of Marys near the cross: his mother, his aunt, & his friend.

Hanging on the cross, Jesus gives us a 3-fold lesson in being human: he takes care of his family, he thirsts, he completes his work.

1^st the Son fulfills his responsibility. He arranges for someone to take care of his mama. He does this hanging on the cross.

Family duties often call us when we feel pulled in all directions. Look to Jesus on the cross.

2^nd Jesus says, “I am thirsty.” He expresses his human need which we experience. Notice: Jesus relies on fellow humans to help.

We thirst, feel worn out. Rest. Ask for help. Jesus’ understands.

Notice: His disciples feel bewildered, confused as he is arrested & snatched away. Think of a time you felt this way.

Country music singer/songwriter Sam Baker knows about relying on fellow humans to help after his near-death experience in a terrorist bombing of the train he was on traveling in Peru, as I learned listening to Terry Gross' interview with him on NPR's Fresh Air¹.

Sam, who grew up going to church & drifted away, has renewed perspective, faith, & sense of purpose he expresses in songs. In his song, “Steel”, about the explosion, he sings: “No one is just an observer / The same bell tolls for the served & the server / For the strong & the weak / The weary & the brave...”²

Sam teaches us about our common humanity, about mercy & grace & faith in humanity, as he says in his NPR interview. One thing which has changed for him is “the sense that all suffering is universal...we all (suffer)”³ & this has taught him empathy & faith in us humans.

In the 3^rd lesson we hear from Jesus, he declares: “It is finished.” His job is done. Humanity’s brokenness can start to heal. The barrier we caused between us & God is torn down.

This is the Good News – powerful news – we have to share . This is the work we have to do to help heal others whether in big or in small ways. . . . . Remember what Romans 10:15 says: “Beautiful are the feet...that bring Good News.”

We washed our feet Maundy Thursday – either physically or spiritually. They are ready for the journey to take Good News to those who need it wherever we live, wherever we travel.

We do not despair because Jesus hangs on the cross today.

As Easter people, we know what happens next!

Bibliography

Bacon, Ed. 8 Habits of Love: Open Your Heart, Open Your Mind. Boston: Grand Central Life & Style. Hatchette Book Group. 2012.

Baker, Sam. BlueLimeStone Publishing. Sambakermusic.com. Produced by Walt Wilkins & Tim Lorsch Bull Creek Productions. 2004.

Harper’s Bible Commentary. General Ed.: James. L. Mays. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers. 1988.

Holy Bible with the Apocrypha. New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press. 1989.

Jewish Study Bible: Jewish Publication Society TANAKH Translation. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004.

Long, Thomas G. What Shall We Say? Evil, Suppering, and the Crisis of Faith. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2011.

Michno, Dennis G. A Priest’s Handbook: The Ceremonies of the Church. 3^rd Edition. Harrisburg: Morehouse Publishing. 1998.

Mitchell, Leonel L. Lent Holy Week and the Great Fifty Days: A Ceremonial Guide. Lanham, MD: A Cowley Publications Book. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2007.

New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. Eds.: Herbert G. May, Bruce M. Metzger. New York: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 1977

Sam Baker: Finding Grace In The Wake Of Destruction. http://www.npr.org/2014/05/06/310089151/sam-baker-finding-grace-in-the-wake-of-destruction. 6 May 2014.

1 Sam Baker: Finding Grace In The Wake Of Destruction. NPR “Fresh Air” Interview with Terry Gross. http://www.npr.org/2014/05/06/310089151/sam-baker-finding-grace-in-the-wake-of-destruction. 6 May 2014.

2 Baker, Sam. BlueLimeStone Publishing. Sambakermusic.com. Produced by Walt Wilkins & Tim Lorsch Bull Creek Productions. 2004.

3 Ibid. Sam Baker... NPR “Fresh Air”.

Where is Our Focus Tonight?

Maundy Thursday Homily By The Rev. Marcia McRae

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Goldsboro, NC, 14 April 2017

Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Why do we wash our feet tonight before we share Bread & Wine & then

strip the Altar & have no dismissal?

We have no dismissal tonight because we start our Liturgy, which we continue tomorrow & conclude at our Easter Vigil – the great celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection.

After we share our Holy Meal, something with which we are familiar, we will take the reserved Sacrament from here to the Altar of Repose in the Parish Hall for our Communion here tomorrow & strip the Altar to remind us of the stripping away of Jesus from his friends, from his mother/his mama, the stripping away of all Jesus has: his clothes, his life.

Notice: Before his arrest & guards strip away his clothes, Jesus himself removes his outer garment, ties a towel around himself & stoops in humble service, washing the disciples' feet.

Jesus gives us the new commandment, which we read in Corinthians, giving new meaning to sharing bread & wine. This new mandate, in Latin mandatum, gives Maundy Thursday its name.

Jesus shows us what it looks like

to love one another.

It looks different.

Tonight our worship reflects the differences on this night in Jesus' life which our scriptures describe. Our scriptures point us to God's calling us to live & work in community. God creates us in God's image of Holy Community. Jesus teaches us how to live & work as the Body of Christ – to BE a holy community.

Tonight we hear Jesus command us to love each other as Jesus loves us. This love is strong enough to bend down & wash the feet of others. Jesus takes on a menial task to show us clearly how strong God’s Love is for us. Jesus takes on a menial task to show us how to serve each other, to give us courage to serve the least among us, courage to let ourselves be served.

As Jesus’ disciples, we are Jesus' Body, his hands & feet. Jesus gives us work to do: to love & serve as Jesus does, to build relationships right here. I am thankful how you love & work together in community, following Jesus' new commandment.

This new commandment looks different. It looks like humble service: difficult, menial. In this humble service Jesus demonstrates what we read in Acts 20:35:

Jesus says “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Jesus gives humble service. The disciples receive humble service to learn humility & see God's grace in action. NOTICE: Jesus says, It is more blessed to give than to receive. He does not say it is not blessed to receive. It is more blessed to give. It is also blessed to receive. It can be difficult to receive humble service. We see how difficult this is for Peter.

Like Peter, we may love Jesus & be confident we will always be loyal when suddenly, Jesus challenges our perspective. . . . What a blessing it is to have Peter to remind us, we don't always get it right, yet Jesus loves us through our protests & confusion.

It may be difficult for us to receive the gift of grace through foot washing. I find it difficult. I always have. Remember: It is blessed to receive. Through this gift we give & receive grace.

Jesus stoops in humble service for us to learn how to serve & how to love all of God's people, including those of us whose lives stink, whose feet stink.

Tonight we stoop to wash feet to remember what Jesus does the night before he washes away our sins with his blood.

Jesus takes time this night to wash his disciples feet, to share familiar food in a new way, to give us a new commandment, to give us the peace the world cannot give.

Jesus does all this in community.

He is not alone.

May we have the grace to stoop & bend,

to wash & be washed.

Bibliography

Bacon, Ed. 8 Habits of Love: Open Your Heart, Open Your Mind. Boston: Grand Central Life & Style. Hatchette Book Group. 2012.

Harper’s Bible Commentary. General Ed.: James. L. Mays. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers. 1988.

Holy Bible with the Apocrypha. New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press. 1989.

Jewish Study Bible: Jewish Publication Society TANAKH Translation. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004.

Long, Thomas G. What Shall We Say? Evil, Suppering, and the Crisis of Faith. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2011.

Michno, Dennis G. A Priest’s Handbook: The Ceremonies of the Church. 3^rd Edition. Harrisburg: Morehouse Publishing. 1998.

Mitchell, Leonel L. Lent Holy Week and the Great Fifty Days: A Ceremonial Guide. Lanham, MD: A Cowley Publications Book. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2007.

New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. Eds.: Herbert G. May, Bruce M. Metzger. New York: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 1977.

God is in Charge

Homily by The Rev. Marcia McRae

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Goldsboro, NC, 9 April 2017, Palm Sunday Year A

[Liturgy of the Palms, Matthew 21:1-11]

Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31”9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 26:14-27:66

How hard it is to hear our Lord Jesus cry out:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

We know life gives us tough times. Yet even in our tough times we have the blessing to know the rest of our Gospel. We are Easter people & know the Good News of Jesus' resurrection, his ascension & the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This is why when life gets tough, when things take a hard, sudden, unexpected turn we can trust God is in charge.

Things took a hard, unexpected turn one Palm Sunday at the church we were members of in Georgia. I remember our stunned, confused looks & the extra confusion of parishioners inside the church when our outside Liturgy of the Palms was delayed.

As he was starting to give instructions about the liturgy, our priest became ill & had to be taken to the hospital & asked me before he left to lead the service since I was in process for ordination.

As we began our liturgy & processed into the church, I scrambled for words to help alleviate the stress with which all of us were so obviously struggling. It's the shortest sermon I've preached.

I explained what happened & assured us: God is in charge. I explained my confidence in this fact is because our Twin Lakes had water despite years of severe drought.

This confidence came from a chat with neighbor who had watched water connecting the lakes disappear. He told me his wife had asked why he wasn't worried & said he assured her rain would come because “God is in charge”.

When we stay centered on God, we respond differently when the unexpected happens. Even on Palm Sunday & through Holy Week & especially on Good Friday we are Easter people. We know the Good News, the rest of the story.

We know the Good News which continually flows with thirst-quenching blessings.

New Life for Dry Bones

Homily by The Rev. Marcia McRae

St. Francis' Episcopal Church, Goldsboro, NC; 5 Lent, 2 April 2017

RCL Year A: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11 ; John 11:1-45

I lay awake last night asking,

“Where have I gone wrong?”

A voice replied:

“This is going to take more than one night.”¹

I enjoy the perspective of Charles Schultz’s quip about lying awake. He points us to our work this final week of our Lenten Forgiveness Forum when we explore how to forgive ourselves. He points us to our scriptures about forgiveness, about setting the mind on the Spirit instead of the flesh, which keeps us stuck in the past. He points us to our Gospel when Jesus tells us to let go what keeps us bound to the past.

Notice the graphic description we hear in Ezekiel: Bones rising up from a parched valley, sinews coming together. What sound like great sci-fi movie special effects are reality in Ezekiel’s day & our day. Ezekiel speaks to people living in exile whose hope is dried up – people living as if dead, dried up with human worries, human guilt.

Notice: God has Ezekiel prophesy to involve Ezekiel in the healing & new life of the people, as one Bible commentary notes.² God calls us to breathe hope into others & to live again in hope ourselves when we dry up.

Notice what Jesus does in our Gospel when his friends grieve. His love overflows literally. It is a blessing to know Jesus is “greatly disturbed, deeply moved,” & sheds tears like we do.

When we fail to forgive ourselves, we mourn our losses & stay stuck. Forgiving ourselves can be hard. Jesus stands with us in this hard work. Jesus stands with his friends in our Gospel to help them through this hard time.

In tough times we may easily forget our Psalm points us to hope & the newness of life we hear God say clearly in Ezekiel:

“I will put my spirit within you,

& you shall live. . .

I, the Lord, have spoken & will act…"

God says this to Ezekiel, to you & me & all dry bones. God acts. We respond. God gives us the honor to work with God. When we prophesy, when we speak & do as God commands, life comes into dried bones in our lives & in us when we are dried bones.

If Jesus can weep at the grave & feel distress at death, we can too without feeling we are wrong. Keep death in perspective. Keep life in perspective. More important than, “Are you afraid to die?” is the question “Are you afraid to live?”

Remember: Ezekiel talks about people living as though they are dead. Bound up in lost hope, they are dried up with human worries. In Romans, Paul tells us about living now in the Spirit & not the flesh. Flesh worries. Life filled with God’s Spirit has right perspective on worries & knows God acts in our lives, we respond.

Jesus calls Lazarus from the tomb. Lazarus responds, his hands & feet bound & eyes covered. Jesus says: “Unbind him, & let him go.” People respond.

Jesus calls us to “unbind & let go." Unbind yourself, your brother, your sister. Unbind & let go whatever you haven’t forgiven yourself for doing or not doing.

Think of what my friend says: “When life is so dark you can’t look forward, the past too painful to look back, look beside you: Jesus is there with you.”

Right after hearing this insight, I saw Monastery Icons offering a new icon, Christ the True Friend, based on a 7^th century Coptic icon in the Louvre in Paris. You can see the icon I bought here on this stand on your way to Communion. It shows Jesus holding the Gospel in one arm & his other arm around a Coptic saint. Below the figures the words say:

“I call you my friends”.

Jesus calls you his friend. With our friend Jesus beside us, we can live in love through God’s capacity to love which is greater than our capacity to mess up. We can forgive ourselves & incorporate this learning as a resource to apply to future failings.

Know this: There is a difference between guilt & shame. Guilt self-assesses our behavior in light of our values. Shame self-assesses our very being. Shame says: “I hate myself for what I did.” Shame alienates us from the person we harmed AND our very self God created us / you to be. I alienate me from me!

Counteract shame by changing its demand quality into a preference: “I prefer that I would have/would not have…done whatever.”

“Forgiving does not erase a bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory….[F]orgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future.”³

Forgiving ourselves is doing what Jesus tells the people to do at the tomb when Lazarus comes out: unbind & let go.

Let God’s Spirit dwelling in you breathe life into your dried bones. God loves you so much that Jesus dies on the cross for you & the Holy Spirit chooses to live in you. Who are you to keep beating yourself up about the past? Forgive yourself! Speak love to yourself!

Take a moment & be aware of God’s Love. Despite whatever sin you recall, remember we have made our confession today & been forgiven by God. Let yourself be held by God’s Love & be at peace with yourself & with God….

As you rest in God’s vast Love, ponder this: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...We [are] born to make manifest the glory of God [which] is within us. It is not just in some of us. It is in [each of us]. As you let your light shine, you unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”⁴

Shine your light!

Bibliography

Dios Habla Hoy: La Biblia. 2^nd Ed. Nueva York: Sociedad Biblica Americana. 1983.

Harper’s Bible Commentary. General Ed.: James. L. Mays. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1988.

Harper’s Bible Dictionary. General Ed.: Paul J. Achtemeier. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers. 1985.

Holy Bible with the Apocrypha. New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press. 1989.

Jewish Study Bible: Jewish Publication Society TANAKH Translation. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004.

The New American Bible for Catholics. South Bend: Greenlawn Press. 1986.

New Oxford Anontated Bible with Apocrypha. Eds: Herbert G. May, Bruce M. Metzger. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. 1977.

La Sacra Bibbia: Versione Riveduta. Societa’ Britannica & Forestiera. Roma: 1990.

Voyles, Robert J. Restoring Hope: Appreciative Strategies to Resolve Grief and Resentment. Hillsboro, OR: The Appreciative Way. 2010. “Teaching Forgiveness” www.appreciativeway.com. 2014.

1 Charles M. Schultz. Quoted P. 74 by Robert J. Voyles. “Teaching Forgiveness” www.appreciativeway.com. 2014.

2 Harper’s Bible Commentary. P. 691.

3 Ibid. Voyles quoting Louis B. Smedes. P. 69.

4 From “A Return to Love” by Marianne Williamson. Quoted by Voyles. P. 71.

Light in the Dark: The Blind See

Homily by The Rev. Marcia McRae

St. Francis' Episcopal Church, Goldsboro, NC; 4 Lent, 26 March 2017

RCL Year A: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

How many of you play or played a sport or musical instrument? Other than equipment & lessons, what does your sport or instrument require? [Practice. Dedication. Time.] A coach / a teacher?

Think of when you 1^st started playing. How much practice did it take? [A lot.]

What about a time the coach/teacher guides you to a new technique you just can’t grasp? . . . . Suddenly you get it! You see clearly! What is that like? Like being in the dark & someone turns on the light? Like being blind & suddenly you see?

When things are tough & we face challenges we just can’t grasp, we may want to give up, quit our “sport” & go home.

Notice the last sentence in our 1^st lesson after Samuel has anointed David: “Samuel . . . set out & went to Ramah.” Samuel goes home to Ramah, his hometown.¹ He isn’t giving up. He is a team player on God’s team & has just secretly anointed David to be King – to be team captain since Saul has proven to be an unfit leader.

Not a team player, Saul doesn’t follow the play book & is in the dark about how he’s pulling down the team. He’s blind about how to work as a team. He’s blind to trusting God.

Like many of us when we just don’t “get it” & lose sight of how to play the game, fear enters the game. Fear plays a part in some Pharisees’ reactions when Jesus gives sight to the blind. They are loyal to God’s law & are sure the rule book says: You can’t heal on the sabbath.

Steeped in law, the Pharisees miss God’s Love which gives the law. Caught up in rules, they can’t play the game in a new way.

They can’t see the Light of God’s Love.

They can’t learn the new technique: Compassion.

The Pharisees hear what they do not want to hear & react negatively. It takes God’s grace for us to hear what we don’t want to hear & accept it as truth.

Think of the disaster Jesus’ disciples will soon hear him talk about & then see as he hangs on the cross. What looks like disaster brings a new beginning of abundant life. Jesus forgives us from the cross.

Forgiveness is essential to healing in this life.

Forgiving is to do what Paul tells us in Ephesians: Live as children of light…expose works of darkness to the light. This includes past dark deeds.

We want past hurts, broken relationships to be different. This can challenge us. Remember: you can forgive someone without continuing a relationship. Forgiveness is not reconciliation. You can forgive without speaking to the person. You can forgive a dead person. Forgiving frees you.

Trusting Jesus, we can forgive. This frees us from holding onto resentment like the Pharisees & Saul, who have a tight hold on resentment & anger about anyone not doing things their way. As Nelson Mandela said:

Resentment is like drinking poison & . . .

hoping it will kill your enemies.².

Resentment lives in the dark past when things didn’t go as we wanted them to go. Resentment is living today & demanding the past should have been different, that someone would have behaved differently. This is a good way to stay miserable.

This reminds me of the wisdom of a Cherokee parable³:

An elder is teaching his grandchildren about life & says: “A fight is going on inside me. It’s a terrible fight between 2 wolves.

One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, guilt, inferiority, jealousy & lies.

The other wolf stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity,

truth & compassion.

This same fight is going on inside each of you & every other person.”

The grandchildren think about this. One asks: “Which wolf will win?”

The wise one replies: The one I feed.

We can stop feeding the negative wolf & start feeding the positive wolf when we accept the fact we can’t change the past. We can see the past in the Light of God’s Love & re-frame how we think of past hurts. We can change our demand for things to have been different into a preference that they would have been different. This frees us.

Re-framing my complaint loosens my hold on anger & makes it easier to let go of hurt.

In its confession, the Lutheran liturgy offers a deeper sense of this than our general confession. Our Lutheran brothers & sisters say: “forgive us, renew us, & lead us so that we may delight in your will & walk in your ways.”⁴

Renew us, Jesus!

Forgiveness renews us & reaches beyond just my life / your life. Forgiveness shines new light: the Light of God’s Love.

Our coming together regularly to worship keeps us fit as a team & strengthens each of us in God’s love so that fear does not rule us when we face a challenge.

This strength is why one father [who has heard what no parent wants to hear] can speak to the young driver who caused his child’s death while crossing a busy street, carrying a book bag.

The young driver is a friend & doesn’t see this friend while shifting the big vehicle & runs over the friend, catching the book bag, dragging the body as a witness frantically signals the driver to stop.

The body is mangled. The victim dies days later. Although charged in the death, the driver attends this friend's funeral. Family members speak with people afterward. The bereaved father [a lawyer] sees the young driver, goes & says the driver needs a lawyer. The young friend acknowledges this & is working on it.

The father says: Stop looking. I will represent you. I will stand with you.

This level of forgiveness reflects years of living in God’s grace,

years of practicing, practicing, practicing the love Jesus teaches us.

Bibliography

Fever, Kyle. “Commentary Ephesians 2:1-10”. Accessed: 23 March 2017. http://www.workingpreacher.org_/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2393

Harper’s Bible Commentary. General Ed.: James. L. Mays. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers. 1988.

Harper’s Bible Dictionary. General Ed.: Paul J. Achtemeier. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers. 1985.

Holy Bible with the Apocrypha. New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Jewish Study Bible: Jewish Publication Society TANAKH Translation. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004.

The New Amerian Bible for Catholics. South Bend: Greenlawn Press. 1970.

New Oxford Anontated Bible with Apocrypha. Eds: Herbert G. May, Bruce M. Metzger. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. 1977.

Voyles, Robert J. Restoring Hope: Appreciative Strategies to Resolve Grief and Resentment. Hillsboro, OR:The Appreciative Way. 2010. “Teaching Forgiveness”. www.appreciativeway.com. 2014.

1 Harper’s Bible Dictionary. Gen. Ed.: Paul J. Achtemeier. P. 852

2 Quoted by Voyles, Robert J. “Teaching Forgiveness”. P. 54.

3 Ibid. Voyle. P. 54

4 Fever, Kyle. “Commentary Ephesians 2:1-10”. Accessed: 23 March 2017.

http://www.workingpreacher.org_/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2393