4 Lent C

It's just not fair!

4 Lent C - 2010

Transcribed from a sermon given by

Rev. Valerie Hart 

At St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Arroyo Grande, CA

It’s not fair!! It’s just not fair!! 

You giggle? 

Sounds like you’ve heard that before, or perhaps you can remember times in which you have said that.

We as children have all had moments where we said “It’s not fair” “I’m the eldest that has to do all the work around here and my younger brothers don’t have to do anything.” Or “It’s not fair, I’m the youngest and I have to go to bed earlier then everyone else does.” Or “It’s not fair, I’m an only child and I don’t have any brothers or sisters to play with.” It doesn’t really matter what the situation was, when I was growing up there was always some way in which it wasn’t “fair.” And of course if you are a parent or a grandparent or a teacher you have heard children say this to you. 

One of the darker days as a parent is when the children learn to say “It’s not fair.” Because it’s always not fair, one kid says that the other got a larger slice of cake. Another says you spent more time with one child than the other. . 

It’s not fair. We know what it feels like to have that feeling inside that it’s not fair. And even as adults, even though we don’t say it out loud, we think it, “It’s just not fair.”

When we look at this Gospel reading, it’s all about fairness. It begins with the Pharisees critiquing Jesus because he is speaking with and eating with prostitutes, tax collectors, and sinners of all types. And that’s not fair! Because while they’ve been out having a good time the Pharisees have been following all these rules and laws. And it’s not fair that they get all the attention. They should be being punished in some way and the ones who have been following all the laws should be getting some goodies for it, some acknowledgement for how hard they have worked. 

So Jesus responds to them by telling this wonderful story of the father with two sons. And if we didn’t have anything else from the gospels except this story it would teach us of Jesus’ understanding of the nature of God. 

Now you can understand the older son’s perspective. The younger son has said basically to his father “I’m going to treat you like you are dead, give me my inheritance.” And back in those days inheritance was not split 50/50, the eldest got a large chunk and the younger ones didn’t get as much. So, for a younger brother to be asking for his share before the father even is dead is an incredible insult to his father. And then he goes off, leaves his father, basically abandoning him. You can imagine how angry the older brother was right from the beginning that his younger brother would do this and leave him having to take care of the farm. We can all kind of understand why the older brother was so angry when “that son of yours” returns.

(I love the little nuances in this story, they are so great. The older brother refers to his brother as “that son of yours.” He has pushed him out of the family. “I have no relationship with that one any more.” And the father responds “Your brother.”)

He represents the Pharisees. They were talking about fairness and justice, while what Jesus was talking about was mercy and love. If you have been a parent or a teacher or in other ways work with children you know that you love them all. They are each unique and your relationship is unique with each one, but you love them all. When you pick up a little baby and you feel that overwhelming sense of love you don’t love that baby because it is being so good. That baby is screaming and throwing up and going in its diaper. It’s being a baby. But you love it because that is it’s nature and your nature is to love. And that is the way God is. God doesn’t love us because we’re so good. 

Most of us spend much of our lives trying to make ourselves loveable. You know. if I get one more degree, if I work a little harder, if I lose some weight, if I go to church ever Sunday. Something that we do that we think will make us more loveable. That’s not the way love works. Love is.

It is just like the father in the story who loves both of his sons. There was nothing that the younger son could do that would destroy his father’s love and there was nothing that the elder son could do, being good, that would make the father love him any more. The love was complete. Unconditional, and that’s the love we have from God that Christ is trying to tell us about, to show us, to demonstrate. It’s not about fairness, but about mercy. That we are all loved by God, and God wants to be in relationship with each of us. 

We call it reconciliation, healing of the relationship. God wants each one of his children to come home. And God will run outside to meet us when we decide to come home. And that makes all the difference

This wonderful little passage from 2 Corinthians is just beautiful because it says we regard no one from a human point of view. Think about a family. How the brothers and sisters perceive each other and how the parent perceives them. The parent perceives them with love. The brothers and sisters are in competition. 

What if we were to see everybody else the way God sees them. With the sense of mercy and love and acceptance that God has for them. If we could see the person that’s hurt us and instead of seeing them as an enemy we could see them as a child of God, loved by God, regardless of what they have done. That would change things, wouldn’t it? If we could see one another the way God sees us. That’s what Paul says here, “We regard no one from a human point of view.” Not seeing what’s fair, but seeing with the eyes of love. 

He goes on to say “So if anyone is in Christ there is a new creation, everything old has passed away. See everything has become new.” This new creation comes when we realize that we are dependent upon the mercy and love of God and when we are reconciled to God. When we know that love, that totally underserved love of God that fills us and heals us, we become a new person. We see things in a new way. It becomes much harder to hold on to our resentments of other people when we know how much we have been forgiven by God. 

Paul goes on to say, “All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” Has given usthe ministry of reconciliation. Once we are reconciled to God, God empowers us to be instruments of God’s love in the world - the ministry of reconciliation. Our jobs once we know that we are forgiven and loved is to help others to know that they are forgiven and loved by God. To help others to be reconciled to God. And to help others to be reconciled to each other. 

It all begins with us. It all begins with us acknowledging the fact that we have not lived a perfect life. We do not deserve God’s love, no one deserves love, love is given as a gift. And when we acknowledge that and accept God’s mercy and forgiveness, we then do the hard work of acknowledging how we have hurt other people –  working to forgive others and be forgiven. Those who have gone through the 12 steps know that process very well. We become a new creation – instruments of reconciliation. That’s our job, or ministry. 

Our job is not to make the world fair, our job is to bring people together and to bring people to God through Christ.

Paul continues and says, “so we are ambassadors for Christ because God is making his appeal through us, we entreat you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” First step is to be reconciled to God. That is why in almost all of our services we have a confession, we have a way in which we acknowledge we need to be healed and reconciled to God. That is the foundation upon which we are sent out to be ambassadors for Christ and to bring reconciliation, love and mercy to the world.

Amen

4 Lent B

Why might one hide from the light? Why would we choose darkness?

4 Lent B

Sermon given

March 18, 2012

By Rev. Valerie Ann Hart

At St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church

John 3:14-21

Imagine that twenty or forty years ago a group of tourists were being shown around a great cave. The guide had taken them all the way down to the lowest chamber where there was a river that went through and had shown them the fish that didn’t have any eyes that lived in it. The guide showed them another section where there were all kinds of resources stored. There were blankets, cans of food and dried meat. He said this used to be a hide out for people who didn’t want to be caught by the law, and they stored things here so they could live there for months and months, maybe even years at a time. And just when he finished telling them about that there was a great earthquake and in the earthquake a piece of granite fell down and covered up the entrance to the cave The people who were there were stuck in this lower chamber and they couldn’t get out. Now they had enough oxygen coming in to live, and they had water from the river, and they had food that was stored and they had fish in the stream but they couldn’t get back out into the world. Of course as time went by things got more difficult.

Meanwhile, outside, after the earthquake the people saw that they couldn’t get down to this group that they knew was down in the cave. They tried everything they could to get through but they didn’t have the technology to go through solid granite. There was no way to reach the people who were trapped down below. They worked for weeks to try and get through. After a few months had gone by people began giving up, but the man who ran the guide service knew that down at the bottom there was water and there was food and that they could survive. And he cared deeply for all his guides including the guide who had taken them down there, and the people that had come to see the cave. He never gave up hope for them.

Decades went by, and the people underneath learned to survive. Of course it wasn’t too long before the batteries in their flashlights burned out and the candles that were down there had been used up.  Then they were in total darkness.

Human beings are amazingly able to adapt. They had what they needed; food, water, air and community. And they did establish their own community. It wasn’t the life that any of us would choose, but it was a life. And in fact it was an existence they got used to, adapted to. There were even children born there. They had blankets. They didn’t have rain. The temperature was always moderate. And they had all agreed at the beginning that the way they were going to survive was that whatever someone found that was helpful would be shared with all of the group.

As time went by some of the people, the older people who were trapped originally, remembered being outside and would tell the children about what it was like to be in the light, although some of the children in their rebellious teenage years thought that was just a story made up by the parents.

Time passed. And the people on the outside forgot, except for the one man who knew there may be people there, and who told his son about his love for the people who were trapped in darkness. He made his son promises that as soon as it was technologically possible he would go in and see if anyone had survived. So the son grew up to be an engineer and he studied mining methods. Finally when they came out with lasers that could cut through solid granite safely, they made a hole big enough for one person to go through. The son took a bright flashlight and went down into the cave, searching for where he might find anyone who would be alive.

You can imagine what it was like down there for the people who were living out their lives in darkness. They had no real idea of how much time had passed and they had totally adapted to the darkness. They were used to being in the dark and suddenly they saw a light coming. Some of them thought it was an illusion. There couldn’t possibly be a light down here. Others who remembered what it had been like recognized it for what it was and went to greet the person who was coming. But there were some who pulled back. Who didn’t want to be seen by the light. They didn’t want the flashlight aimed at them. That didn’t want to have anything to do with this one who had come in to disturb their lives.

Why would anyone not want to go to the light and leave the darkness? You see there were a few people there who had been hoarding food and not sharing it. And even though most of the people were very thin and just getting by there were a few who were well fed. Also some had found things and put them aside for themselves, or had found some clothing and not told others so they were better dressed then everyone else. When it was dark, no one knew, but if the light were to shine on them then the truth of what they were doing would come out. So they preferred to stay in the darkness. Now the man who came down with the flashlight to lead them out had no desire to condemn anybody who tried to survive down there, certainly understanding that you do whatever you can to survive. He had no concern about what people had done down there, all he wanted was to show them another life, to show them the light - to give them some new hope, new life.

So most of the people followed the flashlight out, but some chose to stay because they had developed a comfortable, secure life in the darkness and they didn’t want to acknowledge how they had lived their lives. Now the person who came in to save them, the son, was not going to force anyone to leave. So he left a rope and he said if you ever decide to come out, just feel for the rope and follow it out. You are always welcome out in the light.

That’s what Jesus came for, because we live in darkness. There is a lot of darkness in our world. Like the darkness of lying, and doubt and selfishness. We know what the darkness is. And Jesus came to say that you don’t have to stay in darkness because I can show you the way to the light. A light that is full of life, and joy, and hope, and freedom. It says here in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

He came out of love for the world, or another way to translate this is the cosmos, or all of creation. God’s incredible love for all of creation, especially for human beings, for each person, sent Jesus to show us a new life. It says very clearly here that God did not send the son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him. It says later, “The light has come into world and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” That’s one thing about light, when it shines it sees everything. When we have things that we don’t want others to know about, when there are parts of ourselves where we have guilt, or doubt or resentments, we don’t want others to see it. If we open ourselves to the light of Christ’s love then we know that that will be seen. If we open up to Christ, he sees it all. Sometimes people choose to not open themselves rather than to be truly seen.

We all have bits of darkness within us. We all have things we would rather not have shown on TV. I don’t understand the reality TV shows because there are things I would not want to put out there. We all have those little secrets, those things we are not proud of. That’s why we have confession. If you have darkness, if you have a secret, if the light shines on something, if you shine a light on a dark place it is no longer a dark place. It is seen. And if you have darkness inside of you and it is spoken out loud and it is offered into the world it is transformed. It is transformed from darkness into just what happened. That is the power of confession. That’s really what we do during lent, we try to look honestly at ourselves. We take those things about ourselves that we are not comfortable with and bringing them out into the light so they can be transformed by God’s love. That’s what confession is for.

Every Sunday we have a confession where we all speak together. Usually that is sufficient. Sometimes we still hold onto things inside of us. We have things that bother us and we can’t let go of. That is why we have the option in our church of what they call reconciliation of a penitent. Some might call it confession. We have the option of going to a priest and saying out loud what is on our hearts and being told by the priest that God has forgiven us. That can be a powerful healing of a burden that we might carry.

Richard Cranmer who was the person who put together the first Anglican Prayer Book said about the office of reconciliation of a penitent, “All may” (anyone who wants to do that can go to a priest any time and ask for it), “None must” (it was not required. No one has to go to confession). Then he added, “Some should.”

It is a wonderful and powerful tool, especially for times of transition in your life. There are some people who like to do it during lent or during holy week in preparation for Easter. It is an option that is available. Just call me or you can contact Jeremy, or some other priest.

Sometimes if you have something on your heart you are not able to let go of, shining the bright light of Christ’s love upon it transforms it, and we are invited to a new life, a life of freedom, and joy, and hope in the light of God’s love.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday

February 22, 2012

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church

The Rev. Valerie Ann Hart

Paul writes, “Now is the acceptable time.” Now!

And Joel the prophet, who like all the prophets that said God was unhappy with the way the Israelites were living, tells them that even now, if you turn around, even now, right now, if we change, repent, things could be different.

Now! That now is such a strong word, especially for those of us who are procrastinators. What it is saying is that now is the time. The paper you’ve been putting off writing is due now. The job you haven’t finished is due now.  The phone call you’ve been meaning to make needs to be done now. There is no time. It is right now! Because the truth is, that all we have is now.

For Ash Wednesday after my sermon I will bless ashes and put them on each person’s forehead. Each time I put them on I will say, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” I will do that with those who are older, with those who are in mid-life, and to the children who come forward.

It is a reminder that this body, in the not too distant future, will be dust. On Ash Wednesday I sometimes think about the people I have come to love here at St. Barnabas who are now dust in the memorial garden.

Remember that you are dust. Like the flowers in the field that are here today and dust tomorrow. It is sobering. It reminds us of our mortality. And the church every year has this service so that no one forgets, that everyone remembers, that all we really have is now. Some of us here may live 50, 60, 70 more years. Some may die in a year, some in a month, maybe some won’t make it through the night. None of us know.

All we have is now. And what are we to do now? Paul tells us that what we are to do now is to be reconciled to God - to be reconciled. Reconciliation means being in a right relationship. And relationship is really what sin is about. Sin is about not living in a right relationship. Not living in right relationship with God. Not living in right relationship with other people. Or not living in right relationship with yourself.

So tonight, at the beginning of Lent we are reminded that now is the time to get things right. Now is the time to reflect upon our relationships and see what needs to change. Who needs to be contacted? Do you have a brother or sister you haven’t spoken with who needs a call, or a neighbor that you had a fight with and you need to make up with?

Or perhaps you are not in right relationship with yourself. I have noticed that most of the time when people say that they are going to give something up for Lent the thing they are giving up for Lent is something they really should be giving up for the rest of their lives. Except of course chocolate.

You know, “I’m going to give up smoking for lent.” Good start! You are not in right relationship with yourself if you are hurting yourself. Now is the time to look at whether you are treating yourself the way you would want to treat others. If you are working too much, now is the time to reconsider. If you find yourself sitting around too much, now is the time to start walking. If you are ignoring feelings, now is the time to understand them and express them. If you find yourself in a situation that is not healthy for you, now is the time to love yourself and be in right relationship with you.

Now is time for reconciliation with God. The wonderful thing about reconciliation with God is that God longs for that relationship even more than you do. Remember the story of the prodigal son who takes half of his father’s estate and throws it all away and turns around and comes back. All he has to do is take a few steps toward home and his father is running to him. All we need to do is turn around a little bit toward God. Make a first step, a first effort to be reconciled to God, and God runs to meet us. Because of God’s mercy. That is what is talked about in the psalm and that we just read about in Joel, “Because God is a merciful God. Slow to anger and quick to forgive.”

I started out by talking about our mortality, and the service begins with ashes and the fact that we are mortal, at least our bodies are mortal. But the service ends with the Eucharist, with the Holy Communion, in which we remember that Christ died for us so that we will never die. That some part of us lives that is beyond the dust that makes up our bodies. We remember that in God’s mercy and God’s love, we are promised not just forgiveness but everlasting life.

Now, right now, is the right time to be reconciled to God and your neighbor and yourself.