"DOES GOD HAVE 'CALLER I.D.'?"
Proper 25: Jeremiah 14: 1 – 10, 19 – 22; Psalm 84; II Timothy 4: 6 – 8, 16 – 18; Luke 18: 9 – 14
Given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, IL
Does God have “Caller ID”?
Think about the uses for that wonderful device, “Caller ID”…. many of us are so used to using it these days, we don’t give it much thought as we look at the display to see who’s on the other end.
But it’s quite useful: for example, we can tell if the person on the other end is known to us, but who has a reputation for engaging a conversation partner in long, drawn-out, one-way conversations. “Caller ID” would be particularly helpful in that particular situation if we’re on the way out the door, for example, and simply don’t have the time to get involved in a long conversation.
Or, we can tell when we see those telltale words “out-of-area” or “private number” or “restricted number” that the party on the other end will most likely simply be trying to sell us something, often even using a tape recorded message (aren’t those the worst of this sort of marketing?) to promote a product.
Does God have “Caller ID”? And, if so, what might He use it for?
I think the answer to the question, “Does God have ‘Caller ID’?” is “yes”. After all, we begin the Holy Communion service with this prayer (often called the “Collect for Purity”)[1], which says (in part), “Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid….” So, we are saying in this prayer that we are worshipping a God who knows all things, a God who is omniscient.
This collect is quite consistent with the witness of Holy Scripture. For there, we read the following, “... for the Lord searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought.” (I Chronicles 28: 9) (NRSV).[2]
If only the Pharisee had remembered that portion of Scripture, “for the Lord searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought”. Perhaps that unnamed Pharisee wouldn’t have stood apart from everyone else in the Temple, praying to himself!
Let’s stop there for a minute…. “Praying to himself”….If the phrase in verse 11 is translated that way,[3] that means – if we return to our concept of “Caller ID”, that God has seen not only the identity of the caller, but God has also seen the caller’s intent, and has, in effect, hung up on him….No doubt, the Pharisee is so self-consumed with selling himself and his pious deeds that he can’t even hear the dial tone coming back at him from the phone that is dead on the other end (if we may continue the illustration we began with).
But even if the translation of verse 11 should more properly be rendered “the Pharisee stood by himself” (as the NRSV does), or “the Pharisee prayed about himself” (as the NIV does in its main reading), the bottom line is that God’s ear is deaf to the Pharisee’s prayer, for our Lord concludes this Parable by making it clear that “I tell you, this man (the tax collector) went down to his home justified, rather than the other (the Pharisee).
Where did the Pharisee go wrong?
Right from the beginning, apparently: Notice that the Pharisee begins his prayer with an address to the Almighty, simply saying, “God, I thank you that….” The Pharisee addresses the deity with a form of address that many devout Jews might have found to be offensive. The Pharisee seems presumptuous in his relationship with God, especially when we look at the tax collector’s address, for the tax collector says, “Lord”, thereby acknowledging God’s power over his life.
But the Pharisee doesn’t stop there….For though he relates the facts of his religious observance (his fasting and his giving practices), he seems to do so not with his eye on God, but on the others who are also in the Temple for prayer, including the tax collector.
The Pharisee’s focus is reminiscent of Jesus’ comments to the Pharisees in Luke 16: 15, where we hear Jesus say, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.” (NRSV)
And so, in this parable, we return to some themes that Jesus has been hammering at for awhile now: 1) self-justification; and 2) self-aggrandizement, done in view of others.
But God knows the heart, as today’s parable and Jesus’ comments from two chapters earlier makes clear.
What are we to make of today’s parable? After all, we have before us two clear-cut characters, one a proud and arrogant man, and the other a humble man who is weighed down with the burden of his sins.
The Pharisee, by virtue of his own boasting, has placed himself on God’s “Do Not Call” list. God apparently wants nothing to do with his “sell job”, his one-way conversation that intrudes on God’s sovereignty and power.
By contrast, the tax collector’s role as a social outcast in the Jewish society of 2,000 years ago and his status as sinner are suddenly and dramatically reversed.[4] For God, who knows our identity even as we come to Him in prayer, also knows our intent in praying, and is always willing to hear our prayers, provided they are born of proper motivation.
That seems to be Jesus’ message.
And what about our own attitudes toward God?
As I consider that question, I begin to realize that, many times, we are combinations of the Pharisee and the tax collector….we can easily shift from tax collector to Pharisee, moving from repentant sinner to boastful sinner.
Why might that be so?
The answer might be because we each know the facts of our own lives (just as the Pharisee and the tax collector knew the facts of their own lives – one was regular in fasting and in giving, and the other was deeply aware of the fact of sin in his life), we each know our own experience as the central reality of our existence in this life. We think we are the center of our own lives, and often, the immediacy of our own life’s experiences can easily become the source of authority for all that we do, including our relating to God.
But we are called to allow God to become the center of our lives. If the Pharisee had done that, he would have seen the shallowness of his own boasting, his own looking around at others, to see that the sin of pride is just as bad in God’s eyes as the sins he enumerates in others (thieves, rogues, adulterers, tax collectors).
For in allowing God to take center stage, we then begin to see things as He sees them (which is one of the main reasons for prayer).
To allow us to see things as God sees them, we need His help to see the pernicious and sneaky side of sin, especially the sin of pride.
As the Collect for Purity continues, saying, “(Lord) Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy hole Name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
[1] Book of Common Prayer, 1979, page 323
[2] See also Romans 8: 27, where St. Paul expresses a similar idea.
[3] As some translations do, including the New International Version (NIV) in an alternative reading.
[4] Abrupt and shocking reversal of roles is a theme found throughout Luke’s Gospel account. Luke seems to pay a good bit of attention in his writing to Jesus’ teachings that reverse the roles of the outcast (Samaritans, prostitutes and tax collectors, e.g.), the poor, the sick, and those imprisoned (see Luke 4: 18 – 19).
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
21 Pentecost, Year C
"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING"
Proper 24 - Genesis 32: 3 – 8, 22 – 30; Psalm 121; II Timothy 3: 14 – 4: 5; Luke 18: 1 – 8a
Given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, IL
“Pray without ceasing”[1]…..
“Pray without ceasing”, because prayer changes things.
Luke asks us to consider the role of prayer in our walk with God by recording the parable[2] before us today, the “Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge”. Notice how Luke inserts a little editorial comment at the beginning of the parable, “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.”[3] Luke really wants his readers to get the point of Jesus’ teaching!
The parable itself is straightforward enough….Jesus uses a rhetorical device called “lesser to greater”, in that He illustrates God’s willingness to hear and to answer prayer by using the image of the unjust judge, who “has no fear of God and no respect for anyone”.[4] As we hear the parable, the tale causes a response to well up within us, as we want to cry out, “If even the unjust judge hears the widow’s cry, then surely how much more will God – who is merciful, loving and just – will hear the cries of His people (His “chosen ones”).”
And so, what about the role of prayer in our lives?
As we consider the importance of prayer, of “praying without ceasing” (as St. Paul puts it), or our “need to pray always” (as we hear it in today’s Gospel), we ought to begin by looking at three misconceptions about prayer. Then, having examined these three negative aspects which often attend an outlook on prayer, we ought to supply a positive analysis of what a healthy prayer life looks like.
We begin with three misconceptions, or myths:
- Once a week is enough: Ever heard that one? It goes something like this, “I go to church every Sunday.” (Subtext is: “I’ve paid my dues, I’ve done ‘my bit’”.)
The temptation to make prayer a one-hour-per-week event is probably more common in liturgically structured churches like ours. Maybe it’s because we use a worship book from which our prayers are taken.[5] The wonderful Anglican “Book of Common Prayer” is essentially a book which is used to guide our common prayer life, that is, our worship which is conducted “in common” with others. - If I (ever) need God, I know where to find him: This approach to prayer makes God into a sort of “spiritual ATM machine”[6]….we put our “god card” into the prayer machine, punch in our special authorization code, insert our request, get an instant answer (the only kind which is acceptable), take the card out, and go on with life.
Ever run into a person like that? I have. Unfortunately, I’m afraid this approach to a relationship with God is all-too-common. - The clergy are closer to God: How often have I heard this idea (either subtly – or not-so-subtly – stated)? Somehow, many people think that a clergyperson – because they are called into a life of prayer and service, are closer to God because of that call. Somehow, people often think that clergy have a “hotline” to God. Or – closely associated with this idea is the notion that prayer is the “priest’s job” (subtext: “we don’t have to do it”).
- Relating to God is the aim of a good prayer life: Left to our own devices, we can easily relegate God to “ATM status”, treating God like some divine “sugar daddy” whose only role in life is to grant our desires.
But living a life of prayer encourages us to begin to see things as God sees them, and a reorientation in our outlook begins to ensue…pretty soon, we begin to look beyond our own self-interest into the wider concerns with which God is also concerned.[7]
It takes practice to live a life of prayer. - Balance in our prayer life: If cultivating a relationship to God is the aim of a good prayer life, then we can see from our human relationships that a balance in our conversing with God (for that’s what prayer is, essentially – conversing with God) is important.
For example, if we had a friend or family member who only spoke to us when they needed something, we’d get pretty tired of that in sort order, wouldn’t we? Don’t we have much healthier relationships with others if we offer praise and thanks for their kindnesses and generosity? Doesn’t praise of their character and attributes generate lots of goodwill and release the possibility of love between persons? Of course, it does.
The same thing is true of our relationship with God….essential ingredients in a healthy prayer life include:Adoration: Giving praise to God for His very being and attributes.
Confession: Admitting to God the many ways in which we fail to live up to
His standards, and asking for forgiveness for those failings, which hinder (or
even block) our relationship with Him.
Thanksgiving: Thanking God for the blessings that have been received from Him, by us and by others.
Supplication: Asking God to address needs that we – or others – have.
Listening: Observing silence during our prayer time, so that we have the ability to hear God speaking to us.[8]
If it helps you to remember these five points, remember “ACTSL”[9]….. - How/when to pray: Whenever! Prayer takes many forms, from formal settings
at regular times, to instantaneous, on-the-spot requests made in haste, and everything in between.
Regular prayer times: A regular prayer time can be quite valuable, and if you are new at this sort of prayer, then start slowly. At the beginning, if you are trying to cultivate this new discipline, then a devotional book with daily readings might be a good way to start.
Another way to get started would be to use some of the written prayers and thanksgivings in the Book of Common Prayer, pages 810 – 841. They can form the basis for your own prayer and meditation, and are excellent resources.
As time goes along, consider using the resources of the Book of Common Prayer which are available for the Daily Offices of Morning or Evening Prayer. Attendant to these services is a regular, methodical cycle of readings through the Bible.
Spontaneous prayer: Throughout the day, occasions will present themselves to give thanks to God for mercies received and graces given, either for yourself or for others. A silent or spoken short prayer might take the form of, “Lord, thank you for the rain we had this past week”, or “Gracious God, remember _______ who is in the hospital this morning.”
Consider committing things that you are about to do to God. I often do this, asking the Holy Spirit to come upon me as I begin to lead worship, speak with a person, enter a troubled situation, and so forth. In this way, all of life can be devoted to God’s purposes and guidance.
“Pray always” Our Lord reminds us today….For prayer changes things, mostly us, as we enter into deeper and deeper relationships with God.
AMEN.
[1] II Thessalonians 5: 17
[2] Luke is the only Gospel writer to include this parable.
[3] Luke 18: 1
[4] Verse 4
[5] Unfortunately, many people who are conversant with the Book of Common Prayer think it is an impossible task to be able to learn to prayer without the aid of written, formal prayers. That is the downside of using a worship resource like the Prayer Book.
[6] I am not trying to be disrespectful toward God, but to illustrate the attitude many have toward Him.
[7] It’s important to reiterate that God is deeply concerned with our lives and wellbeing, but He is concerned with other things and others’ wellbeing, as well.
[8] Prayer is not a one-way conversation!
[9] This acronym is drawn from the Jr. High youth weekend retreat called “New Beginnings”.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
20 Pentecost, Year C
"SEEKING SHELTER"
PROPER 23 -- Ruth 1: 1 – 19a; Psalm 113; II Timothy 2: 3 – 15; Luke 17: 11 – 19
Given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, IL on Sunday, October 14, 2007
Shelter….
“We spend a good deal of our lives seeking shelter”, a pastor[1] friend of mine said recently.
His comment hit me right between the eyes…..he was right, I realized. We do spend a good deal of our time in this life seeking shelter:
These are some of the ways in which we seek shelter.
What does shelter provide us? The answers might be many. The answers that readily come to my mind are:
Let me say that one again…We seek shelter in God through our faith.
That’s what the 10 lepers were doing, as well, in the gospel account heard today. For Luke’s recording of Jesus’ healing of the 10 lepers is about a good deal more than a healing story: it is a story about shelter.
Before we examine the idea of shelter in the encounter we hear today, let’s look more closely at some of the important points of Jesus’ interaction with these 10 men….
The point seems to be that they must take the steps (quite literally) needed in order for the healing to come to pass. (There must have been something very compelling in Jesus’ command, for they obey!)
How does the idea of seeking shelter fit into today’s healing story?
Remember that lepers were required to “live outside the camp”.[8] Lepers were considered to be “unclean”, a condition that, in addition to placing them outside of society literally, also put them outside, religiously.
The religious authorities of Jesus’ day spent a lot of time figuring out who was worthy of shelter, and who was not. The idea might seem strange to us today, but a whole list of conditions would place someone “outside the camp” in their ability to worship, including: 1. various diseases; 2. lameness; 3. physical impairments; 4. immoral behavior; 5. contact with dead bodies, or with blood; 6. eating unclean animals; 7. associating with unclean persons (Jesus’ association with “tax collectors and sinners”, e.g.) and so forth.[9]
The job of the “door keepers” of the religious establishment of Jesus’ day was to peer through a small opening in the door of God’s grace to see if a person was worthy enough to enter. Their job was to maintain the security of the shelter.
And so, the 10 lepers’ cry is essentially a cry not only for deliverance from their physical affliction, but it is a cry to be made whole, so that they might come into the shelter of God’s presence and grace.
What lessons might we draw from today’s Gospel? As I consider that question, here’s what comes to mind:
So, it’s often true that those who have received the greatest restoration are the most thankful.
As we acknowledge our own “unclean” condition, and seek God’s healing and restoration, we regain our identities as Christ’s own forever, and we come under the protection of God’s shelter.
AMEN.
[1] The Rev. Jim Rivett, a Lutheran Pastor (during an informal study hour on Thursday, October 11th, 2007) who is a retired Chaplain from Marion Federal Prison.
[2] In Biblical usage, the term leprosy applies to any of a wide range of skin disorders and diseases, not just to leprosy itself.
[3] The priest was to certify that the individual was free of his disease, in accordance with the provisions of Leviticus 14: 23.
[4] Luke 10: 1
[5] Verse 13
[6] Verse 11
[7] Luke’s gospel account is full of such role reversals: 1. the rich are sent away while the poor are cared for; 2. the foreigners show thankfulness while God’s chosen people do not; 3. the Samaritan shows mercy to the wounded man while the Jewish priest and Levite do not (The Parable of the Good Samaritan – see Luke 10: 29 – 37), etc..
[8] Numbers 5: 2 - 3
[9] This list is a short one. For more detail, a careful reading of the Books of Numbers and Leviticus is in order.
PROPER 23 -- Ruth 1: 1 – 19a; Psalm 113; II Timothy 2: 3 – 15; Luke 17: 11 – 19
Given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, IL on Sunday, October 14, 2007
Shelter….
“We spend a good deal of our lives seeking shelter”, a pastor[1] friend of mine said recently.
His comment hit me right between the eyes…..he was right, I realized. We do spend a good deal of our time in this life seeking shelter:
- We commit ourselves to the largest financial transactions of most of our lives when we buy a house, seeking shelter.
- We seek shelter in the protection of our financial assets (FDIC insurance, e.g.).
- We seek shelter by passing laws to protect society from the ills that might overtake it.
These are some of the ways in which we seek shelter.
What does shelter provide us? The answers might be many. The answers that readily come to my mind are:
- protection; and
- identity.
Let me say that one again…We seek shelter in God through our faith.
That’s what the 10 lepers were doing, as well, in the gospel account heard today. For Luke’s recording of Jesus’ healing of the 10 lepers is about a good deal more than a healing story: it is a story about shelter.
Before we examine the idea of shelter in the encounter we hear today, let’s look more closely at some of the important points of Jesus’ interaction with these 10 men….
- Connections to other accounts in Luke having to do with lepers:[2]
a. Naaman, the Syrian: In Luke 4: 27, Jesus refers to (obliquely) to the healing of the foreigner, Naaman, the Syrian’s, healing from leprosy.
b. Another healing of a leper (Luke 5: 12 – 16): The differences and similarities between the chapter five account and today’s account are worth noting: The differences are: 1. Jesus touches the leper in chapter five (thereby becoming “unclean” himself); 2. the leprosy leaves immediately upon Jesus’ touch. The similarities are: i. the encounter begins with a cry for help from the leper; and ii. the man is told to “go show yourself to the priest”.[3] - “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”: Several things are of note in the cry which comes from the 10….
a. They call Jesus by name: How did they know Jesus’ name, and – even more importantly – how were they able to recognize Him? We don’t know the answers to those questions exactly (and Luke does not record them for us), but it’s possible that they knew about Jesus from the travels and the ministry of the 70 persons who were sent out (see Luke 10) in advance of Jesus, into every place “where He intended to go”.[4] If so, then the advance party that went out to these places did a very fine job of describing Jesus and His work of healing.
It’s also possible that Jesus’ healing work has been known to them by reports from eyewitnesses.
b. They do not cry out “unclean, unclean”: The requirements of Leviticus 13: 45 – 46 are not observed, that they cry “unclean, unclean” as a warning to anyone who might approach them. Thus, their cry for mercy invites interaction, instead of exclusion (though they keep their distance[5] as they cry out). - Luke’s geography: Several scholars have questioned Luke’s knowledge of the geography of the Holy Land, as he tells us that Jesus “was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee”[6] However, Luke’s purpose might be to remind us that Jesus was passing through an area in which a group of lepers could be composed of both Jews and foreigners (Samaritans), thereby establishing the radical reversal[7] of the gratitude of the Samaritan who was healed.
- Jesus’ test of faith: Returning to the earlier healing of a leper, we see that Jesus actually touched the man, healing him instantly (Luke 5: 12 – 16). However, in today’s account, Jesus seems to be testing these 10 men, as He says, “Go, show yourselves to the priest”. As they leave, they are still afflicted with leprosy.
The point seems to be that they must take the steps (quite literally) needed in order for the healing to come to pass. (There must have been something very compelling in Jesus’ command, for they obey!)
How does the idea of seeking shelter fit into today’s healing story?
Remember that lepers were required to “live outside the camp”.[8] Lepers were considered to be “unclean”, a condition that, in addition to placing them outside of society literally, also put them outside, religiously.
The religious authorities of Jesus’ day spent a lot of time figuring out who was worthy of shelter, and who was not. The idea might seem strange to us today, but a whole list of conditions would place someone “outside the camp” in their ability to worship, including: 1. various diseases; 2. lameness; 3. physical impairments; 4. immoral behavior; 5. contact with dead bodies, or with blood; 6. eating unclean animals; 7. associating with unclean persons (Jesus’ association with “tax collectors and sinners”, e.g.) and so forth.[9]
The job of the “door keepers” of the religious establishment of Jesus’ day was to peer through a small opening in the door of God’s grace to see if a person was worthy enough to enter. Their job was to maintain the security of the shelter.
And so, the 10 lepers’ cry is essentially a cry not only for deliverance from their physical affliction, but it is a cry to be made whole, so that they might come into the shelter of God’s presence and grace.
What lessons might we draw from today’s Gospel? As I consider that question, here’s what comes to mind:
- We must be able to identify by name the source of our healing: Notice that the lepers cry out to Jesus by name….God’s power to heal is made manifest in the person and work of Jesus Christ. That remains as true today as it was 2,000 years ago.
- We cry, “Master, have mercy on us”: With the 10 lepers, we cry out for mercy, inviting God’s provision of shelter. And as we do, we invite God’s intervention in our lives. The great hope we have in Christ is tied to the movement we take by the power of the Holy Spirit to move from our obvious condition, which is to acknowledge that we are “unclean”, into the place where we invite Our Lord to address our condition and our inability to correct it.
- God provides the raw material of healing.
- Human beings provide the response which allows the healing to take place.
So, it’s often true that those who have received the greatest restoration are the most thankful.
As we acknowledge our own “unclean” condition, and seek God’s healing and restoration, we regain our identities as Christ’s own forever, and we come under the protection of God’s shelter.
AMEN.
[1] The Rev. Jim Rivett, a Lutheran Pastor (during an informal study hour on Thursday, October 11th, 2007) who is a retired Chaplain from Marion Federal Prison.
[2] In Biblical usage, the term leprosy applies to any of a wide range of skin disorders and diseases, not just to leprosy itself.
[3] The priest was to certify that the individual was free of his disease, in accordance with the provisions of Leviticus 14: 23.
[4] Luke 10: 1
[5] Verse 13
[6] Verse 11
[7] Luke’s gospel account is full of such role reversals: 1. the rich are sent away while the poor are cared for; 2. the foreigners show thankfulness while God’s chosen people do not; 3. the Samaritan shows mercy to the wounded man while the Jewish priest and Levite do not (The Parable of the Good Samaritan – see Luke 10: 29 – 37), etc..
[8] Numbers 5: 2 - 3
[9] This list is a short one. For more detail, a careful reading of the Books of Numbers and Leviticus is in order.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
19 Pentecost, Year C
"LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH"
Proper 22: Habbakuk 1: 1 – 13; 2: 1 – 4; Psalm 37: 1 – 18; II Timothy 1: 1 – 14; Luke 17: 5 – 10
Given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, Illinois (on the occasion of the baptisms of Izabella Jo Newell and Walter Raleigh Newell III)
“Lord, increase our faith!” the disciples cry.
Our prayer, as well, particularly in times of stress and trouble, is often, “Lord, increase our faith!”
The disciples’ response to Jesus seems like a cry of desperation….The reason I say that is because Jesus has just turned to them (and away from the Pharisees who had mocked him, and to whom the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus[1] had been directed), and has spelled out in seemingly bleak terms what the life of the community of faith will look like in verses 1 – 5 of chapter 17, as follows:
So the disciples’ response seems like a very appropriate one: “Lord, increase our faith!” (perhaps so as to be able to meet the challenges of life).
So, what about faith? What does Jesus have to say about faith?
As we take a closer look at today’s passage, two realities come to clarity:
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith this way, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.”[4] Notice that faith provides the surety of the reality of God, and the certainty of what we cannot see (but can sense).
Faith is not formed out of nothing….Faith comes through the experiences of God that we have available to us. Resources for knowing God, and therefore, having faith in Him, might include: Holy Scripture, the community of faith (the church), the Sacraments (which are channels of God’s grace, given in unique ways), Godly parents and Godparents who know the Lord and who guide their children into the way of faith, God’s mighty acts, observed either in ourselves or in others (healings, deliverance from various types of addictions, etc). All of these and many more serve to help us to know God more fully, and therefore, to come to faith in Him.
“We live by faith, and not by sight,” St. Paul writes in II Corinthians 5:7. Implicit in Paul’s comment about faith is the idea that we are in between the experiences of God that we have available to us in this life, even as we await the full revelation of God which is ours through Holy Baptism once this life is over. For it is then that we will see God as He is, and will be fully known, as well.[5]
And so it is that, today, Izabella Jo Newell and Walter Raleigh Newell III take an important first step by following the Lord into the waters of baptism. For what the Sacrament of Holy Baptism signifies is that Izzy and Walter are children of God. And God extends His claim on their lives this day in a unique way, establishing ever more firmly and fully His love and claim on their lives.
Today, a journey begins as Izzy and Walter join hands with God, as they walk together, getting to know the Lord who leads them through the times that lie ahead, times that may be rough once in awhile. And as these two children of God get to know the Lord better, seeking to invite Him into the deepest parts of their minds and hearts, they will have their parents, Godparents and their faith community to help them to get to know the Lord intimately and deeply.
For it is often said that “Christianity if usually caught, not taught”,[6] implying that new believers get to be believers by seeing the proof of God’s presence and existence in the lives of others who already know the Lord, and who know Him well.
“Lord, increase our faith!”
AMEN.
[1] Read last Sunday. See Luke 16: 19 – 31.
[2] Luke 17: 1
[3] Verse 5
[4] New International Version (NIV) translation
[5] St. Paul explains the idea well in I Corinthians 13: 12, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
[6] I have no idea who originated this saying.
Proper 22: Habbakuk 1: 1 – 13; 2: 1 – 4; Psalm 37: 1 – 18; II Timothy 1: 1 – 14; Luke 17: 5 – 10
Given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, Illinois (on the occasion of the baptisms of Izabella Jo Newell and Walter Raleigh Newell III)
“Lord, increase our faith!” the disciples cry.
Our prayer, as well, particularly in times of stress and trouble, is often, “Lord, increase our faith!”
The disciples’ response to Jesus seems like a cry of desperation….The reason I say that is because Jesus has just turned to them (and away from the Pharisees who had mocked him, and to whom the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus[1] had been directed), and has spelled out in seemingly bleak terms what the life of the community of faith will look like in verses 1 – 5 of chapter 17, as follows:
- Occasions for sin are bound to happen, but woe to the person through whom these occasions for sin come.[2]
- If someone (in the household of faith) sins and comes, seeking forgiveness, you must forgive that person, even if they come offering repentance[3] even seven times in a day.
So the disciples’ response seems like a very appropriate one: “Lord, increase our faith!” (perhaps so as to be able to meet the challenges of life).
So, what about faith? What does Jesus have to say about faith?
As we take a closer look at today’s passage, two realities come to clarity:
- Faith is necessary to living the Christian life: “Lord, increase our faith” (or, literally in the Greek), “add to our faith” (the faith that we already have). Faced with difficult situations, for example, knowing that the body of the faithful will most certainly have to deal with sinful situations on a recurring basis is ample proof of the need for faith to carry us through the rough times that lie ahead.
- Faith can accomplish tremendous things: Jesus answers the disciples’ cry for help with a hyperbole, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” Faith is a powerful tool, made available to those who believe and who can, therefore, make use of its power.
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith this way, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.”[4] Notice that faith provides the surety of the reality of God, and the certainty of what we cannot see (but can sense).
Faith is not formed out of nothing….Faith comes through the experiences of God that we have available to us. Resources for knowing God, and therefore, having faith in Him, might include: Holy Scripture, the community of faith (the church), the Sacraments (which are channels of God’s grace, given in unique ways), Godly parents and Godparents who know the Lord and who guide their children into the way of faith, God’s mighty acts, observed either in ourselves or in others (healings, deliverance from various types of addictions, etc). All of these and many more serve to help us to know God more fully, and therefore, to come to faith in Him.
“We live by faith, and not by sight,” St. Paul writes in II Corinthians 5:7. Implicit in Paul’s comment about faith is the idea that we are in between the experiences of God that we have available to us in this life, even as we await the full revelation of God which is ours through Holy Baptism once this life is over. For it is then that we will see God as He is, and will be fully known, as well.[5]
And so it is that, today, Izabella Jo Newell and Walter Raleigh Newell III take an important first step by following the Lord into the waters of baptism. For what the Sacrament of Holy Baptism signifies is that Izzy and Walter are children of God. And God extends His claim on their lives this day in a unique way, establishing ever more firmly and fully His love and claim on their lives.
Today, a journey begins as Izzy and Walter join hands with God, as they walk together, getting to know the Lord who leads them through the times that lie ahead, times that may be rough once in awhile. And as these two children of God get to know the Lord better, seeking to invite Him into the deepest parts of their minds and hearts, they will have their parents, Godparents and their faith community to help them to get to know the Lord intimately and deeply.
For it is often said that “Christianity if usually caught, not taught”,[6] implying that new believers get to be believers by seeing the proof of God’s presence and existence in the lives of others who already know the Lord, and who know Him well.
“Lord, increase our faith!”
AMEN.
[1] Read last Sunday. See Luke 16: 19 – 31.
[2] Luke 17: 1
[3] Verse 5
[4] New International Version (NIV) translation
[5] St. Paul explains the idea well in I Corinthians 13: 12, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
[6] I have no idea who originated this saying.
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