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 Church of the Advent 51 South First Street Jeannette, PA 15644 724-523-9390 |
The Church of the
Advent The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost July 18, 2010 The Reverend J. David Else
Paul was an amazing person.
He broke the mold of what an apostle of Christ might be like, of
whom he should seek out and serve.
He was outspoken, often at too great a length. Like Peter, he was impetuous at
times, but for a different reason.
Paul assumed the End was
near.
And Paul was all of this and more because of the unbelievable
transition that occurred between lynching St. Stephen and an encounter, a
blinding encounter, with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. “For this I
toil,” he writes to the church at Colossae, “striving with all energy
which he mightily inspires within me.”
Where is Paul when he is so desperately needed today? I believe he exists and exists in
many of us. What must happen
to get our modern Pauls up off their rear ends? We chided President Obama for
talking about “kicking ass.”
I don’t believe that my ordination vows forbid me from echoing that
sentiment. Indeed, we need a Divine kick
–multiplied countless times.
The calling of a prophet, like Christ’s call to Paul or his
threefold admonition to Peter whose threefold denial of him left Peter
wallowing in guilt – the calling of a prophet was often comparable to a
Divine ass kicking. And
it was and still is perhaps one of God’s greatest acts of love. Any loving parent has experienced something akin to
that.
Martha was so busy doing the right thing – fixing a meal for Jesus
and respectfully serving it – so busy that she lost sight. Mary sat at Jesus feet and really
listened to his teaching. It was her
calling, made all the more urgent by his imminent
crucifixion.
We
serve Christ best by serving him in those countless ones who surround us,
who call out to us from sick beds and prisons and homeless shelters and
drunk tanks and nursing homes.
I want to put a sign up at the entrance to our nave, in bold
lettering, “To believe is to serve!”
Our creeds need to be mission plans, our communion rail needs to be
stretched out into the streets.
Let’s quit shaking our heads in dismay and despair over the latest
news. Instead, let’s grab
hold of the opportunity to serve, to witness, to spread hope and
love. Not
“opportunity” but innumerable
opportunities.
As
he served me, rescued me, healed me, kicked my ass, and above all loves me
– so I must now seek to do the same, however ineptly. I’m retired but Pat will attest
that I am not out to pasture, except to reach some stray
sheep. God has not given up on me! God has not given up on you! Please do not give up on God. Please!
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